diff --git a/nginx/Dockerfile b/nginx/Dockerfile
index 7830c79..d4440c5 100644
--- a/nginx/Dockerfile
+++ b/nginx/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,36 @@
-FROM tiangolo/nginx-rtmp
+FROM debian:bullseye
 
-COPY nginx.conf /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+# Install dependencies
+RUN apt update && apt install -y \
+    build-essential \
+    libpcre3 libpcre3-dev \
+    zlib1g zlib1g-dev \
+    libssl-dev \
+    curl wget git
+
+# Define versions
+ENV NGINX_VERSION=1.24.0
+ENV NGINX_RTMP_MODULE_VERSION=1.2.2
+
+# Download and compile NGINX with RTMP & auth_request module
+RUN wget http://nginx.org/download/nginx-${NGINX_VERSION}.tar.gz && \
+    tar -zxvf nginx-${NGINX_VERSION}.tar.gz && \
+    git clone https://github.com/arut/nginx-rtmp-module.git && \
+    cd nginx-${NGINX_VERSION} && \
+    ./configure --with-http_auth_request_module --add-module=../nginx-rtmp-module && \
+    make -j$(nproc) && \
+    make install
+
+# Create required directories for logs
+RUN mkdir -p /var/log/nginx && \
+    touch /var/log/nginx/error.log && \
+    touch /var/log/nginx/access.log
+
+# Copy custom NGINX config
+COPY nginx.conf /usr/local/nginx/conf/nginx.conf
+
+# Expose necessary ports
 EXPOSE 1935 8080
 
-# Start the Nginx server
-CMD [ "nginx", "-g", "daemon off;" ]
+# Start NGINX
+CMD ["/usr/local/nginx/sbin/nginx", "-g", "daemon off;"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nginx/nginx.conf b/nginx/nginx.conf
index f3d97e7..50f1068 100644
--- a/nginx/nginx.conf
+++ b/nginx/nginx.conf
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ http {
 
         ## Cacheable HLS files, ts
         location ~ ^/stream/(.+)/(.+\.ts)$ {
-            alias /user_data/$1/stream/$2;
+            # Call backend to check permission
+            auth_request http://web_server:5000/stream/$1/direct_live_status;
+            root /user_data/$1/stream/$2;
 
             # Let the MPEG-TS video chunks be cacheable
             expires max;
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@ http {
             # The profile pictures should not be cacheable
             expires -1d;
         }
+        
 
         location ~ ^/\?token=.*$ {
             proxy_pass http://frontend:5173;
diff --git a/web_server/blueprints/streams.py b/web_server/blueprints/streams.py
index b5eb858..3696c67 100644
--- a/web_server/blueprints/streams.py
+++ b/web_server/blueprints/streams.py
@@ -159,6 +159,25 @@ def user_live_status(username):
         "user_id": user_id
     })
 
+@stream_bp.route('/user/<string:username>/direct_live_status')
+def user_live_status_direct(username):
+    """
+    Returns a streamer's status, if they are live or not
+    Returns:
+    {
+        "is_live": bool,
+        "user_id": int
+    }
+    """
+
+    user_id = get_user_id(username)
+    is_live = True if get_streamer_live_status(user_id)['is_live'] else False
+
+    if is_live:
+        return 'ok', 200
+    else:
+        return 'not live', 404
+
 
 # VOD Routes
 @stream_bp.route('/vods/<int:vod_id>')
diff --git a/web_server/celery_tasks/streaming.py b/web_server/celery_tasks/streaming.py
index c7df437..37f276b 100644
--- a/web_server/celery_tasks/streaming.py
+++ b/web_server/celery_tasks/streaming.py
@@ -50,12 +50,6 @@ def combine_ts_stream(stream_path, vods_path, vod_file_name):
 
     subprocess.run(vod_command)
 
-    # Remove ts files
-    for ts_file in ts_files:
-        remove(f"{stream_path}/{ts_file}")
-    # Remove m3u8 file
-    remove(f"{stream_path}/index.m3u8")
-
 @shared_task
 def convert_image_to_png(image_path, png_path):
     """
diff --git a/web_server/utils/stream_utils.py b/web_server/utils/stream_utils.py
index 119f745..5f9537a 100644
--- a/web_server/utils/stream_utils.py
+++ b/web_server/utils/stream_utils.py
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ def end_user_stream(stream_key, user_id, username):
             stream_info = db.fetchone("""SELECT *
                                     FROM streams
                                     WHERE user_id = ?""", (user_id,))
+            
+            # Remove HLS files, even if user is not streaming
+            remove_hls_files(path_manager.get_stream_path(username))
                                     
             # If user is not streaming, just return
             if not stream_info:
@@ -194,6 +197,14 @@ def generate_thumbnail(stream_file: str, thumbnail_file: str) -> None:
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
         print(f"No information available for {stream_file}, aborting thumbnail generation")
 
+def remove_hls_files(stream_path: str) -> None:
+    """
+    Removes all hls files in a stream directory
+    """
+    for file in os.listdir(stream_path):
+        if file.endswith(".ts") or file.endswith(".m3u8"):
+            os.remove(os.path.join(stream_path, file))
+
 def get_stream_tags(user_id: int) -> Optional[List[str]]:
     """
     Given a stream return tags associated with the user's stream