diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index 5ca8ef9..5df571c 100755
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import concordance
 
 PORT = os.environ.get("PORT", "5151")
+API_KEY = os.environ.get("API_KEY")
 
 originality_queue = Queue()
 concordance_queue = Queue()
@@ -32,6 +33,14 @@ def queue_for_scoring():
     user = request.forms.get("user")
     submission_id = request.forms.get("submission_id")
     competition_id = request.forms.get("competition_id")
+    api_key = request.forms.get("api_key")
+
+    if API_KEY is None:
+        logging.getLogger().info("NO API KEY EXITING")
+        raise Exception()
+    if api_key != API_KEY:
+        logging.getLogger().info("Recieved invalid post request with KEY {}  submission id {}".format(api_key, submission_id))
+        return
 
     logging.getLogger().info("Recieved request to score {} {}".format(user, submission_id))
 
diff --git a/test_server.py b/test_server.py
index dce4de7..18facec 100644
--- a/test_server.py
+++ b/test_server.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from database_manager import DatabaseManager
 import requests
 import datetime
+import os
 
 
 def fetch_competition(db):
@@ -13,11 +14,12 @@ def fetch_competition(db):
 
 def test_server(db_manager, comp_id):
     submissions = db_manager.get_everyone_elses_recent_submssions(comp_id, '')
+    api_key = os.environ.get("API_KEY")
 
     for submission in submissions:
         s_id = submission["submission_id"]
         user = submission["username"]
-        requests.post("http://localhost:5151/", data={'user': user, 'submission_id': s_id, 'competition_id': comp_id})
+        requests.post("http://localhost:5151/", data={'user': user, 'submission_id': s_id, 'competition_id': comp_id, 'api_key':api_key})
 
 
 def main():