diff --git a/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/s3.ts b/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/s3.ts
index ebdfd8017..3f091ee4d 100644
--- a/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/s3.ts
+++ b/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/s3.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ export function cdnObjectKey_PRIVATE(fileLoc: string): string {
  * Pushes a file to the configured S3 Bucket. Overwrites if already exists.
  */
 export function PushToS3_PUBLIC(path: string, content: string | Buffer) {
+	if (path.startsWith("/")) {
+		throw new Error(
+			`no. absolutely not. Trying to do s3 push with a prefix /. this causes all sorts of trouble: ${path}`,
+		);
+	}
 	log.debug(`Saving content on S3 at ${path}.`);
 
 	return S3_PUBLIC.send(
@@ -65,6 +70,11 @@ export function PushToS3_PUBLIC(path: string, content: string | Buffer) {
  * Pushes a file to the configured private S3 bucket. Overwrites if already exists.
  */
 export function PushToS3_PRIVATE(path: string, content: string | Buffer) {
+	if (path.startsWith("/")) {
+		throw new Error(
+			`no. absolutely not. Trying to do s3 push with a prefix /. this causes all sorts of trouble: ${path}`,
+		);
+	}
 	log.debug(`Saving content on private S3 at ${path}.`);
 
 	return S3_PRIVATE.send(
@@ -80,6 +90,11 @@ export function PushToS3_PRIVATE(path: string, content: string | Buffer) {
  * Reads a file from the configured S3 bucket.
  */
 export async function GetObjectFromS3_PUBLIC(path: string): Promise<Buffer> {
+	if (path.startsWith("/")) {
+		throw new Error(
+			`no. absolutely not. Trying to do s3 get with a prefix /. this causes all sorts of trouble: ${path}`,
+		);
+	}
 	const response = await S3_PUBLIC.send(
 		new GetObjectCommand({
 			Bucket: saveLoc.BUCKET,
@@ -98,6 +113,11 @@ export async function GetObjectFromS3_PUBLIC(path: string): Promise<Buffer> {
  * Reads a file from the configured private S3 bucket.
  */
 export async function GetObjectFromS3_PRIVATE(path: string): Promise<Buffer> {
+	if (path.startsWith("/")) {
+		throw new Error(
+			`no. absolutely not. Trying to do s3 get with a prefix /. this causes all sorts of trouble: ${path}`,
+		);
+	}
 	const response = await S3_PRIVATE.send(
 		new GetObjectCommand({
 			Bucket: saveLocPrivate.BUCKET,
diff --git a/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/url-format.ts b/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/url-format.ts
index 07505743a..3c6495012 100644
--- a/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/url-format.ts
+++ b/typescript/server/src/lib/cdn/url-format.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 import type { integer } from "tachi-common";
 
 export function GetUSCIRReplayURL(scoreID: string) {
-	return `/uscir/replays/${scoreID}`;
+	return `uscir/replays/${scoreID}`;
 }
 
 export function GetProfilePictureURL(userID: integer, contentHash: string) {
-	return `/users/${userID}/pfp-${contentHash}`;
+	return `users/${userID}/pfp-${contentHash}`;
 }
 
 export function GetProfileBannerURL(userID: integer, contentHash: string) {
-	return `/users/${userID}/banner-${contentHash}`;
+	return `users/${userID}/banner-${contentHash}`;
 }
 
 export function GetScoreImportInputURL(importID: string) {
-	return `/score-import-input/${importID}`;
+	return `score-import-input/${importID}`;
 }