diff --git a/server/ente/filedata/filedata.go b/server/ente/filedata/filedata.go
index 2ddc373f16..f9cfccd28e 100644
--- a/server/ente/filedata/filedata.go
+++ b/server/ente/filedata/filedata.go
@@ -72,3 +72,15 @@ type S3FileMetadata struct {
 	DecryptionHeader string `json:"header"`
 	Client           string `json:"client"`
 }
+
+type GetPreviewUrlRequest struct {
+	FileID int64           `form:"fileID" binding:"required"`
+	Type   ente.ObjectType `form:"type" binding:"required"`
+}
+
+func (g *GetPreviewUrlRequest) Validate() error {
+	if g.Type != ente.PreviewVideo && g.Type != ente.PreviewImage {
+		return ente.NewBadRequestWithMessage(fmt.Sprintf("unsupported object type %s", g.Type))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/server/ente/filedata/path.go b/server/ente/filedata/path.go
index 5dd4f616ef..fce63bad09 100644
--- a/server/ente/filedata/path.go
+++ b/server/ente/filedata/path.go
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ func AllObjects(fileID int64, ownerID int64, oType ente.ObjectType) []string {
 	}
 }
 
+func PreviewUrl(fileID int64, ownerID int64, oType ente.ObjectType) string {
+	switch oType {
+	case ente.PreviewVideo:
+		return previewVideoPath(fileID, ownerID)
+	case ente.PreviewImage:
+		return previewImagePath(fileID, ownerID)
+	default:
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("object type %s is not supported", oType))
+	}
+}
+
 func previewVideoPath(fileID int64, ownerID int64) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", BasePrefix(fileID, ownerID), string(ente.PreviewVideo))
 }