diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
index f4b08c078..fbc581c70 100755
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
@@ -2964,6 +2964,22 @@ class ApiController(RedditController):
             form.set_html(".status", "some other award has that codename")
             pass
 
+        url_ok = True
+
+        if not imgurl.startswith("//"):
+            url_ok = False
+            form.set_html(".status", "the url must be protocol-relative")
+
+        try:
+            imgurl % 1
+        except TypeError:
+            url_ok = False
+            form.set_html(".status", "the url must have a %d for size")
+
+        if not url_ok:
+            c.errors.add(errors.BAD_URL, field="imgurl")
+            form.has_errors("imgurl", errors.BAD_URL)
+
         if form.has_error():
             return
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/adminawards.html b/r2/r2/templates/adminawards.html
index cbbfe59a6..20170d002 100644
--- a/r2/r2/templates/adminawards.html
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/adminawards.html
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
       <td>
         <input type="text" name="imgurl" value="${imgurl}" />
         ${error_field("NO_TEXT", "imgurl", "span")}
+        ${error_field("BAD_URL", "imgurl", "span")}
       </td>
     </tr>
   </table>