diff --git a/src/server/middleware.ts b/src/server/middleware.ts
index 235f0729..0420e47e 100644
--- a/src/server/middleware.ts
+++ b/src/server/middleware.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { NextFunction, Request, Response } from "express";
-import { UserService } from "../shared/services";
+import { hasJwtCookie } from "./utils/has-jwt-cookie";
 
 export function setDefaultCsp({
   res,
@@ -27,18 +27,20 @@ export function setCacheControl(
   res: Response,
   next: NextFunction
 ) {
-  const user = UserService.Instance;
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") {
+    return next();
+  }
+
   let caching: string;
 
   if (
-    process.env.NODE_ENV === "production" &&
-    (req.path.match(/\.(js|css|txt|manifest\.webmanifest)\/?$/) ||
-      req.path.includes("/css/themelist"))
+    req.path.match(/\.(js|css|txt|manifest\.webmanifest)\/?$/) ||
+    req.path.includes("/css/themelist")
   ) {
     // Static content gets cached publicly for a day
     caching = "public, max-age=86400";
   } else {
-    if (user.auth()) {
+    if (hasJwtCookie(req)) {
       caching = "private";
     } else {
       caching = "public, max-age=5";
diff --git a/src/server/utils/has-jwt-cookie.ts b/src/server/utils/has-jwt-cookie.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea558ffa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/utils/has-jwt-cookie.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import * as cookie from "cookie";
+import type { Request } from "express";
+
+export function hasJwtCookie(req: Request): boolean {
+  return Boolean(cookie.parse(req.headers.cookie ?? "").jwt?.length);
+}
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index 0c9806dd..a67ed2ec 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -111,9 +111,6 @@ const createClientConfig = (env, mode) => {
       new ServiceWorkerPlugin({
         enableInDevelopment: mode !== "development", // this may seem counterintuitive, but it is correct
         workbox: {
-          modifyURLPrefix: {
-            "/": `/static/${env.COMMIT_HASH}/`,
-          },
           cacheId: "lemmy",
           include: [/(assets|styles|js)\/.+\..+$/g],
           inlineWorkboxRuntime: true,