diff --git a/packages/backend/src/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
index 7e01144..cecbb6d 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import fastifyCors from "@fastify/cors";
 import fastifyMultipart from "@fastify/multipart";
 import fastifyStatic from "@fastify/static";
 import { createYoga } from "graphql-yoga";
+import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { files } from "./db/schema/index";
 import path from "path";
 import { schema } from "./graphql/index";
 import { buildContext } from "./graphql/context";
@@ -37,10 +39,12 @@ async function main() {
     },
   });
 
+  // fastify-static provides reply.sendFile(); files are stored as <UPLOAD_DIR>/<id>/<filename>
   await fastify.register(fastifyStatic, {
     root: path.resolve(UPLOAD_DIR),
     prefix: "/assets/",
-    decorateReply: false,
+    serve: false, // disable auto-serving; we use a custom route below
+    decorateReply: true,
   });
 
   const yoga = createYoga<{ req: FastifyRequest; reply: FastifyReply; db: typeof db; redis: typeof redis }>({
@@ -63,6 +67,25 @@ async function main() {
       yoga.handleNodeRequestAndResponse(req, reply, { req, reply, db, redis }),
   });
 
+  // Serve uploaded files: GET /assets/:id
+  // Files are stored as <UPLOAD_DIR>/<id>/<filename> — look up filename in DB
+  fastify.get("/assets/:id", async (request, reply) => {
+    const { id } = request.params as { id: string };
+
+    const result = await db
+      .select({ filename: files.filename, mime_type: files.mime_type })
+      .from(files)
+      .where(eq(files.id, id))
+      .limit(1);
+
+    if (!result[0]) return reply.status(404).send({ error: "File not found" });
+
+    const { filename, mime_type } = result[0];
+    reply.header("Content-Type", mime_type);
+    reply.header("Cache-Control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable");
+    return reply.sendFile(path.join(id, filename));
+  });
+
   fastify.get("/health", async (_request, reply) => {
     return reply.send({ status: "ok", timestamp: new Date().toISOString() });
   });