diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 9ea78bcd..77dc9002 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME="Local"
 VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS="#lobby,#bots,#test"
 # Optionally hide the server list
 VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST=true
+# Optional comma-separated list of trusted media URLs (for chat bridge image proxies like Matterbridge, Matrix bridges)
+VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS="https://matterbridge.example.com,https://matrix-media.example.com"
diff --git a/ARCHITECTURE.md b/ARCHITECTURE.md
index c9771a7d..9747b995 100644
--- a/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER      # Default server URL
 VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME # Server display name
 VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS    # Auto-join channels
 VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST        # Hide server selection
+VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS      # Comma-separated list of trusted media URLs
 ```
 
 ### GitHub Actions CI/CD
@@ -275,6 +276,16 @@ npm run tauri android build -- --apk       # Android
 - LocalStorage for user preferences
 - Build-time configuration injection
 
+### Security & Media Handling
+- **Trusted Media Sources**: Images and media are validated against trusted sources
+  - Server-specific filehost URLs (per-server configuration)
+  - Global trusted media URLs (build-time configuration via `VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS`)
+  - Useful for chat bridge integrations (Matterbridge, Matrix bridges)
+- **Content Display Settings**:
+  - `showSafeMedia`: Display media from trusted sources only
+  - `showExternalContent`: Display all external media (requires user confirmation)
+- **URL Validation**: `isUrlFromTrustedSource()` validates URLs against all trusted sources
+
 ## 📋 Implementation Guidelines
 
 ### Adding New Features
diff --git a/BUILD.md b/BUILD.md
index ae29c09d..4c624ac4 100644
--- a/BUILD.md
+++ b/BUILD.md
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME="Local"
 VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS="#lobby,#bots,#test"
 # Optionally hide the server list
 VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST=true
+# Optional comma-separated list of trusted media URLs
+# Useful for chat bridges like Matterbridge or Matrix bridges that host media
+VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS="https://matterbridge.example.com,https://matrix-media.example.com"
 ```
 
 ### Docker
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ docker build \
   --build-arg VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME="Your Server" \
   --build-arg VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS="#general,#random" \
   --build-arg VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST=false \
+  --build-arg VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS="https://matterbridge.example.com,https://matrix-media.example.com" \
   -t obsidianirc .
 ```
 
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index b14fb82f..22b44aec 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ ARG VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER
 ARG VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME
 ARG VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS
 ARG VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST
+ARG VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS
 
 ENV VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER=$VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER
 ENV VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME=$VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME
 ENV VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS=$VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS
 ENV VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST=$VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST
+ENV VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS=$VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS
 
 WORKDIR /app
 COPY package*.json ./
diff --git a/src/components/message/LinkPreview.tsx b/src/components/message/LinkPreview.tsx
index 69bdab0f..a6324fb5 100644
--- a/src/components/message/LinkPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/message/LinkPreview.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import type React from "react";
 import { useState } from "react";
+import { isUrlFromTrustedSource } from "../../lib/ircUtils";
+import { mediaLevelToSettings } from "../../lib/mediaUtils";
 import { stripIrcFormatting } from "../../lib/messageFormatter";
 import { openExternalUrl } from "../../lib/openUrl";
 import useStore from "../../store";
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ interface LinkPreviewProps {
   imageUrl?: string;
   theme: string;
   messageContent: string;
+  serverId?: string;
 }
 
 export const LinkPreview: React.FC<LinkPreviewProps> = ({
@@ -19,11 +22,16 @@ export const LinkPreview: React.FC<LinkPreviewProps> = ({
   imageUrl,
   theme,
   messageContent,
+  serverId,
 }) => {
   const [showWarningModal, setShowWarningModal] = useState(false);
 
-  const showExternalContent =
-    useStore((state) => state.globalSettings.mediaVisibilityLevel) >= 3;
+  const { showSafeMedia, showExternalContent } = mediaLevelToSettings(
+    useStore((state) => state.globalSettings.mediaVisibilityLevel),
+  );
+  const server = serverId
+    ? useStore.getState().servers.find((s) => s.id === serverId)
+    : null;
 
   // Don't render if there's no content to show
   if (!title && !snippet && !imageUrl) {
@@ -37,6 +45,13 @@ export const LinkPreview: React.FC<LinkPreviewProps> = ({
   const match = cleanContent.match(urlRegex);
   const firstUrl = match ? match[0] : undefined;
 
+  // Check if image is from a trusted source (server filehost or globally configured trusted URLs)
+  const isTrustedImage =
+    imageUrl && isUrlFromTrustedSource(imageUrl, server?.filehost);
+  // Show image if it's from a trusted source and safe media is enabled, or if external content is allowed
+  const shouldShowImage =
+    imageUrl && ((isTrustedImage && showSafeMedia) || showExternalContent);
+
   const handleClick = () => {
     if (firstUrl) {
       setShowWarningModal(true);
@@ -76,7 +91,7 @@ export const LinkPreview: React.FC<LinkPreviewProps> = ({
         }}
       >
         <div className="flex items-start h-full">
-          {imageUrl && showExternalContent && (
+          {shouldShowImage && (
             <div
               className="relative inline-block h-full"
               style={{ verticalAlign: "top" }}
diff --git a/src/components/message/MessageAvatar.tsx b/src/components/message/MessageAvatar.tsx
index 9e7a6835..43116016 100644
--- a/src/components/message/MessageAvatar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/message/MessageAvatar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type React from "react";
 import { useState } from "react";
-import { isUrlFromFilehost } from "../../lib/ircUtils";
+import { isUrlFromTrustedSource } from "../../lib/ircUtils";
 import { mediaLevelToSettings } from "../../lib/mediaUtils";
 import useStore from "../../store";
 
@@ -40,13 +40,11 @@ export const MessageAvatar: React.FC<MessageAvatarProps> = ({
     ? useStore.getState().servers.find((s) => s.id === serverId)
     : null;
 
-  const isFilehostAvatar =
-    avatarUrl &&
-    server?.filehost &&
-    isUrlFromFilehost(avatarUrl, server.filehost);
+  const isTrustedAvatar =
+    avatarUrl && isUrlFromTrustedSource(avatarUrl, server?.filehost);
   const shouldShowAvatar =
     avatarUrl &&
-    ((isFilehostAvatar && showSafeMedia) ||
+    ((isTrustedAvatar && showSafeMedia) ||
       showTrustedSourcesMedia ||
       showExternalContent);
 
diff --git a/src/components/message/MessageItem.tsx b/src/components/message/MessageItem.tsx
index e29eebaa..6b6be081 100644
--- a/src/components/message/MessageItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/message/MessageItem.tsx
@@ -840,6 +840,7 @@ export const MessageItem = memo((props: MessageItemProps) => {
                 imageUrl={message.linkPreviewMeta}
                 theme={theme}
                 messageContent={message.content}
+                serverId={serverId}
               />
             )}
           </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/ircUtils.tsx b/src/lib/ircUtils.tsx
index eae3eca8..63bd2949 100644
--- a/src/lib/ircUtils.tsx
+++ b/src/lib/ircUtils.tsx
@@ -968,6 +968,36 @@ export function isUrlFromFilehost(
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Check if a URL is from any of the trusted media sources
+ * This includes both the server's filehost and globally configured trusted URLs
+ */
+export function isUrlFromTrustedSource(
+  url: string,
+  serverFilehost?: string,
+): boolean {
+  if (!url) return false;
+
+  // Check against server filehost
+  if (serverFilehost && isUrlFromFilehost(url, serverFilehost)) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  // Check against globally configured trusted media URLs
+  const trustedUrls = __TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS__;
+  if (!trustedUrls || trustedUrls.length === 0) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  for (const trustedUrl of trustedUrls) {
+    if (trustedUrl && isUrlFromFilehost(url, trustedUrl)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * Checks if a server is running UnrealIRCd based on the RPL_YOURHOST response
  * @param server The server object to check
diff --git a/src/lib/mediaUtils.ts b/src/lib/mediaUtils.ts
index 62052a30..79ec1761 100644
--- a/src/lib/mediaUtils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/mediaUtils.ts
@@ -281,8 +281,12 @@ export function canShowMedia(
   filehost?: string | null,
 ): boolean {
   if (settings.showExternalContent) return true;
-  if (settings.showSafeMedia && filehost && isUrlFromFilehost(url, filehost))
-    return true;
+  if (settings.showSafeMedia) {
+    if (filehost && isUrlFromFilehost(url, filehost)) return true;
+    for (const trustedUrl of __TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS__) {
+      if (trustedUrl && isUrlFromFilehost(url, trustedUrl)) return true;
+    }
+  }
   if (settings.showTrustedSourcesMedia) {
     const hostname = extractHostname(url);
     if (hostname === null) return false;
diff --git a/src/vite-env.d.ts b/src/vite-env.d.ts
index 1831444d..fd2362f5 100644
--- a/src/vite-env.d.ts
+++ b/src/vite-env.d.ts
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ declare const __DEFAULT_IRC_SERVER_NAME__: string;
 declare const __DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS__: string[];
 declare const __HIDE_SERVER_LIST__: boolean;
 declare const __BACKEND_URL__: string;
+declare const __TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS__: string[];
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index 5482909e..4ec1662c 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
       '__DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS__': process.env.VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS ? process.env.VITE_DEFAULT_IRC_CHANNELS.replace(/^['"]|['"]$/g, '').split(',').map(ch => ch.trim()) : [],
       '__HIDE_SERVER_LIST__': process.env.VITE_HIDE_SERVER_LIST === 'true',
       '__BACKEND_URL__': JSON.stringify(process.env.VITE_BACKEND_URL || 'http://localhost:8080'),
+      '__TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS__': process.env.VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS ? process.env.VITE_TRUSTED_MEDIA_URLS.replace(/^['"]|['"]$/g, '').split(',').map(url => url.trim()) : [],
     },
     // prevent vite from obscuring rust errors
     clearScreen: false,