diff --git a/modules/media/thumbnail.cc b/modules/media/thumbnail.cc
index 89c601f12..26750e37d 100644
--- a/modules/media/thumbnail.cc
+++ b/modules/media/thumbnail.cc
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 namespace ircd::m::media::thumbnail
 {
 	extern conf::item<bool> enable;
+	extern conf::item<bool> enable_remote;
 	extern conf::item<size_t> width_min;
 	extern conf::item<size_t> width_max;
 	extern conf::item<size_t> height_min;
@@ -30,6 +31,13 @@ ircd::m::media::thumbnail::enable
 	{ "default", true                            },
 };
 
+decltype(ircd::m::media::thumbnail::enable_remote)
+ircd::m::media::thumbnail::enable_remote
+{
+	{ "name",    "ircd.m.media.thumbnail.enable_remote" },
+	{ "default", true                                   },
+};
+
 decltype(ircd::m::media::thumbnail::width_min)
 ircd::m::media::thumbnail::width_min
 {
@@ -134,6 +142,20 @@ get__thumbnail(client &client,
 			m::me.user_id
 	};
 
+	if(!m::media::thumbnail::enable_remote)
+	{
+		const m::room::id::buf room_id
+		{
+			file_room_id(server, file)
+		};
+
+		if(!exists(room_id))
+			return resource::response
+			{
+				client, http::NOT_FOUND
+			};
+	}
+
 	const m::room::id::buf room_id
 	{
 		download(server, file, user_id)