diff --git a/api/custom/byid.go b/api/custom/byid.go
index 770395e8..2af1657b 100644
--- a/api/custom/byid.go
+++ b/api/custom/byid.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha512"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/t2bot/matrix-media-repo/api/_apimeta"
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/t2bot/matrix-media-repo/database"
 	"github.com/t2bot/matrix-media-repo/datastores"
 	"github.com/t2bot/matrix-media-repo/pipelines/_steps/download"
+	"github.com/t2bot/matrix-media-repo/util"
 )
 
 func GetMediaById(r *http.Request, rctx rcontext.RequestContext, user _apimeta.UserInfo) interface{} {
@@ -23,15 +26,17 @@ func GetMediaById(r *http.Request, rctx rcontext.RequestContext, user _apimeta.U
 
 	// TODO: This is beyond dangerous and needs proper filtering
 
+	// Parse the `request` to ensure we actually sent this request
 	requestVal := r.URL.Query().Get("request")
 	requestValParts := strings.Split(requestVal, ".")
 	if len(requestValParts) != 2 {
+		rctx.Log.Error("Need exactly 2 parts for `request`")
 		return _responses.AuthFailed()
 	}
 	verifyMac := requestValParts[0]
 	toUrlB, err := hex.DecodeString(requestValParts[1])
 	if err != nil {
-		rctx.Log.Error("Failed to decode request value: %s", err)
+		rctx.Log.Error("Failed to decode request value:", err)
 		return _responses.AuthFailed()
 	}
 	toUrl := string(toUrlB)
@@ -42,6 +47,49 @@ func GetMediaById(r *http.Request, rctx rcontext.RequestContext, user _apimeta.U
 		return _responses.AuthFailed()
 	}
 
+	// Verify the HMAC from the worker too
+	query := r.URL.Query()
+	suppliedHmac := query.Get("verify")
+	query.Del("verify")
+	r.URL.RawQuery = query.Encode()
+	r.URL.Host = r.Host                                        // TODO: Why is this unset??
+	r.URL.Scheme = "https"                                     // TODO: Why is this unset??
+	mac = hmac.New(sha512.New, []byte("THIS_IS_A_SECRET_KEY")) // TODO: @@ Actual secret key
+	rctx.Log.Info("URL: ", r.URL.String())
+	mac.Write([]byte(r.URL.String()))
+	expectedMac = hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))
+	if strings.ToLower(suppliedHmac) != strings.ToLower(expectedMac) {
+		rctx.Log.Error("HMAC mismatch")
+		return _responses.AuthFailed()
+	}
+
+	// Verify that the path for the `request` is the same as our called path
+	parsedUrl, err := url.Parse(toUrl)
+	if err != nil {
+		rctx.Log.Error("Failed to parse URL:", err)
+		return _responses.AuthFailed()
+	}
+	if parsedUrl.Path != r.URL.Path {
+		rctx.Log.Error("Wrong path or query")
+		return _responses.AuthFailed()
+	}
+
+	// Verify that the original request isn't expired
+	expVal := parsedUrl.Query().Get("exp")
+	if expVal != "" {
+		exp, err := strconv.ParseInt(expVal, 10, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			rctx.Log.Error("Failed to parse exp:", err)
+			return _responses.AuthFailed()
+		}
+		if exp <= util.NowMillis() {
+			rctx.Log.Error("Request expired")
+			return _responses.AuthFailed()
+		}
+	}
+
+	// ---- request verified - we can now serve the media ----
+
 	db := database.GetInstance().Media.Prepare(rctx)
 	ds, err := datastores.Pick(rctx, datastores.LocalMediaKind)
 	if err != nil {