diff --git a/.changeset/brave-swans-kiss.md b/.changeset/brave-swans-kiss.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e6e42a1bcb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/brave-swans-kiss.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@atproto/syntax': patch
+---
+
+prevent unnecessary throw/catch on uri syntax
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/auth.ts b/packages/bsky/src/auth.ts
index 220be08fc32..ba58638d4f9 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/auth.ts
@@ -7,37 +7,41 @@ import { ServerConfig } from './config'
 const BASIC = 'Basic '
 const BEARER = 'Bearer '
 
-export const authVerifier =
-  (idResolver: IdResolver, opts: { aud: string | null }) =>
-  async (reqCtx: { req: express.Request; res: express.Response }) => {
+export const authVerifier = (
+  idResolver: IdResolver,
+  opts: { aud: string | null },
+) => {
+  const getSigningKey = async (
+    did: string,
+    forceRefresh: boolean,
+  ): Promise<string> => {
+    const atprotoData = await idResolver.did.resolveAtprotoData(
+      did,
+      forceRefresh,
+    )
+    return atprotoData.signingKey
+  }
+
+  return async (reqCtx: { req: express.Request; res: express.Response }) => {
     const jwtStr = getJwtStrFromReq(reqCtx.req)
     if (!jwtStr) {
       throw new AuthRequiredError('missing jwt', 'MissingJwt')
     }
-    const payload = await verifyJwt(
-      jwtStr,
-      opts.aud,
-      async (did, forceRefresh) => {
-        const atprotoData = await idResolver.did.resolveAtprotoData(
-          did,
-          forceRefresh,
-        )
-        return atprotoData.signingKey
-      },
-    )
+    const payload = await verifyJwt(jwtStr, opts.aud, getSigningKey)
     return { credentials: { did: payload.iss }, artifacts: { aud: opts.aud } }
   }
+}
 
 export const authOptionalVerifier = (
   idResolver: IdResolver,
   opts: { aud: string | null },
 ) => {
-  const verify = authVerifier(idResolver, opts)
+  const verifyAccess = authVerifier(idResolver, opts)
   return async (reqCtx: { req: express.Request; res: express.Response }) => {
     if (!reqCtx.req.headers.authorization) {
       return { credentials: { did: null } }
     }
-    return verify(reqCtx)
+    return verifyAccess(reqCtx)
   }
 }
 
@@ -131,9 +135,9 @@ export const buildBasicAuth = (username: string, password: string): string => {
 }
 
 export const getJwtStrFromReq = (req: express.Request): string | null => {
-  const { authorization = '' } = req.headers
-  if (!authorization.startsWith(BEARER)) {
+  const { authorization } = req.headers
+  if (!authorization?.startsWith(BEARER)) {
     return null
   }
-  return authorization.replace(BEARER, '').trim()
+  return authorization.slice(BEARER.length).trim()
 }
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/util/debug.ts b/packages/bsky/src/util/debug.ts
index 0060fc98fa0..d83a3b6d1c5 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/util/debug.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/util/debug.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 export const debugCatch = <Func extends (...args: any[]) => any>(fn: Func) => {
-  return async (...args) => {
+  return async (...args: Parameters<Func>) => {
     try {
-      return await fn(...args)
+      return (await fn(...args)) as Awaited<ReturnType<Func>>
     } catch (err) {
       console.error(err)
       throw err
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/read-after-write/viewer.ts b/packages/pds/src/read-after-write/viewer.ts
index 74621790c82..a3da0e5eb88 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/read-after-write/viewer.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/read-after-write/viewer.ts
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ export class LocalViewer {
       const images = embed.images.map((img) => ({
         thumb: this.getImageUrl('feed_thumbnail', img.image.ref.toString()),
         fullsize: this.getImageUrl('feed_fullsize', img.image.ref.toString()),
+        aspectRatio: img.aspectRatio,
         alt: img.alt,
       }))
       return {
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/util/debug.ts b/packages/pds/src/util/debug.ts
index 0060fc98fa0..d83a3b6d1c5 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/util/debug.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/util/debug.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 export const debugCatch = <Func extends (...args: any[]) => any>(fn: Func) => {
-  return async (...args) => {
+  return async (...args: Parameters<Func>) => {
     try {
-      return await fn(...args)
+      return (await fn(...args)) as Awaited<ReturnType<Func>>
     } catch (err) {
       console.error(err)
       throw err
diff --git a/packages/pds/tests/proxied/read-after-write.test.ts b/packages/pds/tests/proxied/read-after-write.test.ts
index 1e9e4125084..52507a2730a 100644
--- a/packages/pds/tests/proxied/read-after-write.test.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/tests/proxied/read-after-write.test.ts
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ describe('proxy read after write', () => {
           images: [
             {
               image: img.image,
+              aspectRatio: { height: 2, width: 1 },
               alt: 'alt text',
             },
           ],
@@ -190,6 +191,8 @@ describe('proxy read after write', () => {
         img.image.ref.toString(),
       ),
     )
+    expect(imgs.images[0].aspectRatio).toEqual({ height: 2, width: 1 })
+    expect(imgs.images[0].alt).toBe('alt text')
     expect(replies[0].replies?.length).toBe(1)
     // @ts-ignore
     expect(replies[0].replies[0].post.uri).toEqual(replyRes2.uri)
diff --git a/packages/syntax/src/aturi_validation.ts b/packages/syntax/src/aturi_validation.ts
index a272b15a082..826dfa78b2a 100644
--- a/packages/syntax/src/aturi_validation.ts
+++ b/packages/syntax/src/aturi_validation.ts
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ export const ensureValidAtUri = (uri: string) => {
   }
 
   try {
-    ensureValidHandle(parts[2])
-  } catch {
-    try {
+    if (parts[2].startsWith('did:')) {
       ensureValidDid(parts[2])
-    } catch {
-      throw new Error('ATURI authority must be a valid handle or DID')
+    } else {
+      ensureValidHandle(parts[2])
     }
+  } catch {
+    throw new Error('ATURI authority must be a valid handle or DID')
   }
 
   if (parts.length >= 4) {
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/src/server.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/src/server.ts
index a9539545866..9a666488c1c 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/src/server.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/src/server.ts
@@ -251,11 +251,9 @@ export class Server {
         }
 
         // handle rate limits
-        if (consumeRateLimit) {
-          const result = await consumeRateLimit(reqCtx)
-          if (result instanceof RateLimitExceededError) {
-            return next(result)
-          }
+        const result = await consumeRateLimit(reqCtx)
+        if (result instanceof RateLimitExceededError) {
+          return next(result)
         }
 
         // run the handler