diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 24fdc98..7d9750a 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ app.get('/api/v1/statuses/:id{[0-9a-f]{64}}', statusController);
 app.post('/api/v1/statuses/:id{[0-9a-f]{64}}/favourite', favouriteController);
 app.post('/api/v1/statuses', requirePubkey, createStatusController);
 
-app.post('/api/v1/media', requireRole('user'), mediaController);
-app.post('/api/v2/media', requireRole('user'), mediaController);
+app.post('/api/v1/media', requireRole('user', { validatePayload: false }), mediaController);
+app.post('/api/v2/media', requireRole('user', { validatePayload: false }), mediaController);
 
 app.get('/api/v1/timelines/home', requirePubkey, homeTimelineController);
 app.get('/api/v1/timelines/public', publicTimelineController);
diff --git a/src/middleware/auth98.ts b/src/middleware/auth98.ts
index a64370a..128d351 100644
--- a/src/middleware/auth98.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/auth98.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import { type AppContext, type AppMiddleware } from '@/app.ts';
 import { HTTPException } from '@/deps.ts';
-import { buildAuthEventTemplate, parseAuthRequest, type ParseAuthRequestOpts } from '@/utils/nip98.ts';
+import {
+  buildAuthEventTemplate,
+  parseAuthRequest,
+  type ParseAuthRequestOpts,
+  validateAuthEvent,
+} from '@/utils/nip98.ts';
 import { localRequest } from '@/utils/web.ts';
 import { signNostrConnect } from '@/sign.ts';
 import { findUser, User } from '@/db/users.ts';
@@ -26,10 +31,10 @@ function auth98(opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}): AppMiddleware {
 type UserRole = 'user' | 'admin';
 
 /** Require the user to prove their role before invoking the controller. */
-function requireRole(role: UserRole): AppMiddleware {
+function requireRole(role: UserRole, opts?: ParseAuthRequestOpts): AppMiddleware {
   return async (c, next) => {
     const header = c.req.headers.get('x-nostr-sign');
-    const proof = c.get('proof') || header ? await obtainProof(c) : undefined;
+    const proof = c.get('proof') || header ? await obtainProof(c, opts) : undefined;
     const user = proof ? await findUser({ pubkey: proof.pubkey }) : undefined;
 
     if (proof && user && matchesRole(user, role)) {
@@ -55,10 +60,15 @@ function matchesRole(user: User, role: UserRole): boolean {
 }
 
 /** Get the proof over Nostr Connect. */
-async function obtainProof(c: AppContext) {
+async function obtainProof(c: AppContext, opts?: ParseAuthRequestOpts) {
   const req = localRequest(c);
-  const event = await buildAuthEventTemplate(req);
-  return signNostrConnect(event, c);
+  const reqEvent = await buildAuthEventTemplate(req, opts);
+  const resEvent = await signNostrConnect(reqEvent, c);
+  const result = await validateAuthEvent(req, resEvent, opts);
+
+  if (result.success) {
+    return result.data;
+  }
 }
 
 export { auth98, requireRole };
diff --git a/src/utils/nip98.ts b/src/utils/nip98.ts
index e1cae5d..5606d8b 100644
--- a/src/utils/nip98.ts
+++ b/src/utils/nip98.ts
@@ -15,13 +15,21 @@ interface ParseAuthRequestOpts {
 }
 
 /** Parse the auth event from a Request, returning a zod SafeParse type. */
-function parseAuthRequest(req: Request, opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}) {
-  const { maxAge = Time.minutes(1), validatePayload = true } = opts;
-
+// deno-lint-ignore require-await
+async function parseAuthRequest(req: Request, opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}) {
   const header = req.headers.get('authorization');
   const base64 = header?.match(/^Nostr (.+)$/)?.[1];
+  const result = decode64EventSchema.safeParse(base64);
 
-  const schema = decode64EventSchema
+  if (!result.success) return result;
+  return validateAuthEvent(req, result.data, opts);
+}
+
+/** Compare the auth event with the request, returning a zod SafeParse type. */
+function validateAuthEvent(req: Request, event: Event, opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}) {
+  const { maxAge = Time.minutes(1), validatePayload = true } = opts;
+
+  const schema = signedEventSchema
     .refine((event): event is Event<27235> => event.kind === 27235, 'Event must be kind 27235')
     .refine((event) => eventAge(event) < maxAge, 'Event expired')
     .refine((event) => tagValue(event, 'method') === req.method, 'Event method does not match HTTP request method')
@@ -35,22 +43,28 @@ function parseAuthRequest(req: Request, opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}) {
       .then((hash) => hash === tagValue(event, 'payload'));
   }
 
-  return schema.safeParseAsync(base64);
+  return schema.safeParseAsync(event);
 }
 
 /** Create an auth EventTemplate from a Request. */
-async function buildAuthEventTemplate(req: Request): Promise<EventTemplate<27235>> {
+async function buildAuthEventTemplate(req: Request, opts: ParseAuthRequestOpts = {}): Promise<EventTemplate<27235>> {
+  const { validatePayload = true } = opts;
   const { method, url } = req;
-  const payload = await req.clone().text().then(sha256);
+
+  const tags = [
+    ['method', method],
+    ['u', url],
+  ];
+
+  if (validatePayload) {
+    const payload = await req.clone().text().then(sha256);
+    tags.push(['payload', payload]);
+  }
 
   return {
     kind: 27235,
     content: '',
-    tags: [
-      ['method', method],
-      ['u', url],
-      ['payload', payload],
-    ],
+    tags,
     created_at: nostrNow(),
   };
 }
@@ -60,4 +74,4 @@ function tagValue(event: Event, tagName: string): string | undefined {
   return findTag(event.tags, tagName)?.[1];
 }
 
-export { buildAuthEventTemplate, parseAuthRequest, type ParseAuthRequestOpts };
+export { buildAuthEventTemplate, parseAuthRequest, type ParseAuthRequestOpts, validateAuthEvent };