diff --git a/src/utils/twitch-server.ts b/src/utils/twitch-server.ts
index 5fb5577..fde4c18 100644
--- a/src/utils/twitch-server.ts
+++ b/src/utils/twitch-server.ts
@@ -11,20 +11,23 @@ export const generateTwitchRequestHeaders = (accessToken: string) => {
 };
 
 export const getTwitchUserId = async (userName: string, token: string) => {
-  const res = await fetch(
-    `https://api.twitch.tv/helix/users?login=${userName}`,
+  const response = await fetch(
+    `https://api.twitch.tv/helix/users?${new URLSearchParams({
+      login: userName,
+    })}`,
     {
       method: "GET",
       headers: generateTwitchRequestHeaders(token),
-      next: { revalidate: Infinity }, // These should never change
+      // Twitch logins can change or be reassigned to another account.
+      next: { revalidate: 60 },
     }
-  ).then((response) => response.json());
-  if (res.error === "Unauthorized") throw new Error("Unauthorized");
-
-  const responseId = (res as any)?.data[0]?.id as string;
-  if (!responseId) return null;
+  );
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`Could not look up Twitch user: ${response.status}`);
+  }
 
-  return responseId;
+  const result = (await response.json()) as { data?: { id: string }[] };
+  return result.data?.[0]?.id ?? null;
 };
 
 export type VOD = {
diff --git a/src/utils/twitch-user.test.ts b/src/utils/twitch-user.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..036e7a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/twitch-user.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { getTwitchUserId } from "./twitch-server";
+
+vi.mock("@clerk/nextjs/server", () => ({ clerkClient: vi.fn() }));
+
+afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals());
+
+describe("getTwitchUserId", () => {
+  it("encodes the login and returns the matching ID", async () => {
+    const fetchMock = vi
+      .fn()
+      .mockResolvedValue(
+        new Response(JSON.stringify({ data: [{ id: "123" }] }), { status: 200 })
+      );
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", fetchMock);
+
+    await expect(getTwitchUserId("name&other", "app-token")).resolves.toBe(
+      "123"
+    );
+    expect(fetchMock.mock.calls[0]![0]).toBe(
+      "https://api.twitch.tv/helix/users?login=name%26other"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when Twitch has no account for the login", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      "fetch",
+      vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Response(JSON.stringify({ data: [] })))
+    );
+
+    await expect(getTwitchUserId("missing", "app-token")).resolves.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("throws a clear error when the Twitch request fails", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      "fetch",
+      vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Response(null, { status: 401 }))
+    );
+
+    await expect(getTwitchUserId("creator", "bad-token")).rejects.toThrow(
+      "Could not look up Twitch user: 401"
+    );
+  });
+});