diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 74c3f516..d240fa79 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "podverse-api",
-  "version": "4.15.18",
+  "version": "4.15.19",
   "description": "Data API, database migration scripts, and backend services for all Podverse models.",
   "contributors": [
     "Mitch Downey"
diff --git a/src/services/podcastIndex.ts b/src/services/podcastIndex.ts
index 6adf8e55..73344de2 100644
--- a/src/services/podcastIndex.ts
+++ b/src/services/podcastIndex.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ const csv = require('csvtojson')
 const createError = require('http-errors')
 const { podcastIndexConfig, userAgent } = config
 
+/*
+  NOTE!!!
+  The episodeGuid needs to be encoded both on the client-side and server side if it is an http url guid.
+  Koa will automatically decode the encoded url param, and then Podcast Index API needs it
+  encoded once again before sending the request to PI API.
+*/
+
 const axiosRequest = async (url) => {
   const apiHeaderTime = new Date().getTime() / 1000
   const hash = sha1(config.podcastIndexConfig.authKey + config.podcastIndexConfig.secretKey + apiHeaderTime).toString(
@@ -242,6 +249,9 @@ export const getValueTagForChannelFromPodcastIndexByGuids = async (podcastGuid:
 
 // see note above
 export const getValueTagForItemFromPodcastIndexByGuids = async (podcastGuid: string, episodeGuid: string) => {
+  if (episodeGuid.indexOf('http') === 0) {
+    episodeGuid = encodeURIComponent(episodeGuid)
+  }
   const url = `${podcastIndexConfig.baseUrl}/episodes/byguid?podcastguid=${podcastGuid}&guid=${episodeGuid}`
   let episodeValueTag: ValueTag[] | null = null
 
@@ -612,8 +622,10 @@ export const hideDeadPodcasts = async (fileUrl?: string) => {
   console.log('hideDeadPodcasts finished')
 }
 
-// the episodeGuid needs to be encoded client-side if it is an http url
 export const getEpisodeByGuid = async (podcastIndexId: string, episodeGuid: string) => {
+  if (episodeGuid.indexOf('http') === 0) {
+    episodeGuid = encodeURIComponent(episodeGuid)
+  }
   const url = `${podcastIndexConfig.baseUrl}/episodes/byguid?feedid=${podcastIndexId}&guid=${episodeGuid}`
   const response = await axiosRequest(url)
   return response && response.data