diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 681a624..cb8cefd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -125,8 +125,9 @@ Where:
 - `height` — requested height in pixels, `0` for original
 - `format` — output format (jpeg, png, webp, avif, gif, orig)
 - `expiration` — Unix timestamp when signature expires
-- `quality` — the URL's `q` query parameter (1-100), or `85` when the URL
-  has no `q`
+- `quality` — the URL's `q` query parameter, a whole number from 1 to 100,
+  or `85` when the URL has no `q`; a request whose `q` is anything else is
+  refused with 400
 - `fit` — the URL's `fit` query parameter (cover, contain, fill, inside,
   outside), or `cover` when the URL has no `fit`
 
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 3e8c7b4..6281a0a 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ exhaustion
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-09-28 refuse an invalid `q` on `/v1/image/` (closes #134): a `q`
+  that is not a whole number from 1 to 100 is a 400 naming `q` and the
+  value, instead of being served at the default 85; the route reads `q`
+  with the generator's quality check (`parseFormInt` with `minQuality`
+  and `maxQuality`); an absent or empty `q` is still 85; `README.md`
+  states the range.
 - 2026-09-28 start on a fresh upaas volume (closes #129): the image
   starts as root only to give `/var/lib/pixa` to `pixad` when `pixad`
   does not own it (`deploy/docker-entrypoint.sh`), then runs the server
diff --git a/internal/handlers/auth.go b/internal/handlers/auth.go
index 4edf22f..7ebbe1c 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/auth.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/auth.go
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ import (
 // response can name it.
 var errInvalidFormField = errors.New("invalid")
 
-// Bounds for the generator's quality and ttl fields. maxTTL is in seconds:
-// the expiry calculation time.Duration(ttl) * time.Second overflows above it.
+// Bounds for the generator's quality and ttl fields; the quality bounds also
+// apply to the q parameter of /v1/image/. maxTTL is in seconds: the expiry
+// calculation time.Duration(ttl) * time.Second overflows above it.
 const (
 	minQuality = 1
 	maxQuality = 100
@@ -248,9 +249,9 @@ func parseFormDimension(form url.Values, field string) (int, error) {
 	return value, nil
 }
 
-// parseFormInt reads an optional integer form field, returning def when the
-// field is empty and an error naming the field when the value is non-numeric
-// or outside minValue to maxValue.
+// parseFormInt reads an optional integer form field or URL query parameter,
+// returning def when the field is empty and an error naming the field when the
+// value is non-numeric or outside minValue to maxValue.
 func parseFormInt(
 	form url.Values, field string, def, minValue, maxValue int,
 ) (int, error) {
diff --git a/internal/handlers/image.go b/internal/handlers/image.go
index 7411e56..586c0d3 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/image.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/image.go
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/encurl"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/httpfetcher"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/imgcache"
 )
@@ -100,23 +102,22 @@ func (s *Handlers) parseImageRequest(
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Parse optional quality and fit params
-	if qStr := query.Get("q"); qStr != "" {
-		q, parseErr := strconv.Atoi(qStr)
-		if parseErr == nil && q > 0 && q <= 100 {
-			req.Quality = q
-		}
+	// Parse optional quality and fit params. An absent q is 85; a q that is
+	// not a whole number from 1 to 100 is refused, checked as the generator
+	// checks its quality field.
+	req.Quality, err = parseFormInt(query, "q",
+		encurl.DefaultQuality, minQuality, maxQuality)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondError(w, fmt.Sprintf("%v, got %q", err, query.Get("q")),
+			http.StatusBadRequest)
+
+		return nil, false
 	}
 
 	if fit := query.Get("fit"); fit != "" {
 		req.FitMode = imgcache.FitMode(fit)
 	}
 
-	// Default quality if not set
-	if req.Quality == 0 {
-		req.Quality = 85
-	}
-
 	// Default fit mode if not set
 	if req.FitMode == "" {
 		req.FitMode = imgcache.FitCover