diff --git a/veza-backend-api/internal/middleware/response_cache.go b/veza-backend-api/internal/middleware/response_cache.go
index b8cca796d..7b3a191cb 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/internal/middleware/response_cache.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/internal/middleware/response_cache.go
@@ -84,6 +84,25 @@ func ResponseCache(cfg ResponseCacheConfig) gin.HandlerFunc {
 			return
 		}
 
+		// Skip caching for binary, range-aware media endpoints. Caching these
+		// strips Accept-Ranges and returns the full body for every request —
+		// the <audio> element can't seek and the cache also corrupts the
+		// byte stream when JSON-serializing non-UTF-8 bytes.
+		path := c.Request.URL.Path
+		if strings.Contains(path, "/stream") ||
+			strings.Contains(path, "/download") ||
+			strings.Contains(path, "/hls/") {
+			c.Next()
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Any explicit Range request must go straight to the handler so
+		// http.ServeContent can honor it.
+		if c.GetHeader("Range") != "" {
+			c.Next()
+			return
+		}
+
 		// Generate cache key from URL + query params
 		cacheKey := generateCacheKey(cfg.KeyPrefix, c.Request.URL.RequestURI())