diff --git a/src/app/hooks/useMediaAuthentication.ts b/src/app/hooks/useMediaAuthentication.ts
index 04b25e193..6e4d06aa6 100644
--- a/src/app/hooks/useMediaAuthentication.ts
+++ b/src/app/hooks/useMediaAuthentication.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import { useSpecVersions } from './useSpecVersions';
 
 export const useMediaAuthentication = (): boolean => {
-  const { versions } = useSpecVersions();
+  const { versions, unstable_features: unstableFeatures } = useSpecVersions();
 
   // Media authentication is introduced in spec version 1.11
-  const authenticatedMedia = versions.includes('v1.11');
+  const authenticatedMedia =
+    unstableFeatures?.['org.matrix.msc3916.stable'] || versions.includes('v1.11');
 
   return authenticatedMedia;
 };