diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75f353d..b8c1c74 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Literal slashes (`/`) and dots (`.`) in the URL path are **rejected** to prevent
 
 ### Things to know
 
-- **Query parameters (`?...`)** other than `i` (and `src` on [free.direct-img.link](#free-images)) are ignored — `/orange+cat?size=large` → `orange cat`
+- **Query parameters (`?...`)** other than `i` (and `src` on [free.direct-img.link](#free-images)) serve `bad.webp` — `/orange+cat?size=large` ❌
 - **Fragments (`#...`)** are never sent to the server by browsers
 - **Double-encoded values** are decoded once — `%2520` becomes `%20` (literal), not a space
 - Two queries that normalize to the same string share the same cached image
diff --git a/functions/[[path]].js b/functions/[[path]].js
index 15209fd..6abfe6d 100644
--- a/functions/[[path]].js
+++ b/functions/[[path]].js
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ export async function onRequest(context) {
   if (!query) return jsonResponse(400, { error: "Empty query" });
   if (query.length > 200) return jsonResponse(400, { error: "Query too long (max 200 characters)" });
 
-  // ?i= picks which result to serve; free.direct-img.link also takes ?src= and serves only unrestricted images
+  // ?i= picks which result to serve; free.direct-img.link also takes ?src= and serves only unrestricted images.
+  // Any other param (e.g. scanner probes like ?path=../../.env) is rejected before it can cost a search.
   const free = url.hostname.startsWith("free.");
   const i = parseIndex(url.searchParams);
   const src = free ? parseFreeSource(url.searchParams) : null;
-  if (!i || (free && !src)) return asset("bad.webp");
+  const extra = [...url.searchParams.keys()].some(k => k !== "i" && !(free && k === "src"));
+  if (!i || (free && !src) || extra) return asset("bad.webp");
 
   context.waitUntil(countHit(env, request, query, free));