diff --git a/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx.go b/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx.go
index 3d78fac..6431c25 100644
--- a/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx.go
+++ b/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx.go
@@ -182,10 +182,18 @@ func (s *Server) HandleOrionToken(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
 // rewrap it into the Bose BmxPlaybackResponse shape via
 // bmx.PlayCustomStream.
 //
-// No auth check: the data is the speaker's own input, nothing
-// privileged is being protected, and soundcork's reference impl
-// behaves the same way.
+// Requires a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header — same as
+// the rest of the BMX playback surface (TuneIn variants and the
+// orion token endpoint). Real speakers obtain the token via
+// POST /core02/svc-bmx-adapter-orion/prod/orion/token (HandleOrionToken)
+// before they ever follow a LOCAL_INTERNET_RADIO preset, so this
+// check shouldn't cost any legitimate caller.
 func (s *Server) HandleOrionPlayback(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if r.Header.Get("Authorization") == "" {
+		s.writeBMXUnauthorized(w)
+		return
+	}
+
 	data := r.URL.Query().Get("data")
 
 	resp, err := bmx.PlayCustomStream(data)
diff --git a/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx_test.go b/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx_test.go
index b7be322..180b3bc 100644
--- a/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx_test.go
+++ b/pkg/service/handlers/handlers_bmx_test.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ func TestOrionPlayback(t *testing.T) {
 	// emits (Go's url package re-encodes any `=` padding for transport).
 	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET",
 		ts.URL+"/core02/svc-bmx-adapter-orion/prod/orion/station?data="+url.QueryEscape(data), nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer mock-token")
 	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -170,11 +171,7 @@ func TestBMXUnauthorized(t *testing.T) {
 		{"GET", "/bmx/tunein/v1/playback/station/s123"},
 		{"GET", "/bmx/tunein/v1/playback/episodes/p123"},
 		{"GET", "/bmx/tunein/v1/playback/episode/p123"},
-		// Note: /core02/.../prod/orion/station is intentionally NOT in this
-		// list — orion playback takes its `data` blob from the speaker's
-		// own preset payload, there's no privileged material to gate, and
-		// soundcork's reference impl makes the same call (no auth on the
-		// station endpoint). See HandleOrionPlayback's doc comment.
+		{"GET", "/core02/svc-bmx-adapter-orion/prod/orion/station?data=AAAA"},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range paths {
diff --git a/pkg/service/handlers/issue218_regression_test.go b/pkg/service/handlers/issue218_regression_test.go
index e069e84..2bfd751 100644
--- a/pkg/service/handlers/issue218_regression_test.go
+++ b/pkg/service/handlers/issue218_regression_test.go
@@ -79,7 +79,17 @@ func TestIssue218_OrionStationResolvesPresetStreamURL(t *testing.T) {
 
 	resolved := ts.URL + parsedLocation.RequestURI()
 
-	resp, err := http.Get(resolved) //nolint:noctx
+	// Real speakers retrieve an orion token from
+	// POST /core02/svc-bmx-adapter-orion/prod/orion/token before they
+	// ever follow a LOCAL_INTERNET_RADIO preset; the playback handler
+	// rejects an empty Authorization header for parity with the other
+	// BMX playback routes. Use a sentinel Bearer token to match that
+	// shape — HandleOrionPlayback doesn't validate the token contents,
+	// only its presence.
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", resolved, nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer mock-token")
+
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("GET %s: %v", resolved, err)
 	}