diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9e402ef..0c48f71 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 - Changed the ChatBottomInputSection to be multiline and go from 45px to 120px in height depending on how many lines are in the textfield
 - Added chatScreenBuilder to the userstory configuration to customize the specific chat screen with a ChatModel as argument
 - Added senderTitleResolver to the ChatOptions to resolve the title of the sender in the chat message
+- Added imageAuthenticationResolver to the ChatOptions to resolve the authentication headers for CachedNetworkImage for all images in the userstory
 
 ## 4.0.0
 - Move to the new user story architecture
diff --git a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/config/chat_options.dart b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/config/chat_options.dart
index 7cf3a51..093adea 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/config/chat_options.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/config/chat_options.dart
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class ChatOptions {
     this.iconDisabledColor,
     this.chatAlignment,
     this.onNoChats,
+    this.imageAuthenticationResolver,
     ChatRepositoryInterface? chatRepository,
     UserRepositoryInterface? userRepository,
   })  : chatRepository = chatRepository ?? LocalChatRepository(),
@@ -90,6 +91,11 @@ class ChatOptions {
 
   /// [onNoChats] is a function that is triggered when there are no chats.
   final Function? onNoChats;
+
+  /// If [imageAuthenticationResolver] is set, it will be used to get the
+  /// authentication headers for an image. The [imageUrl] is provided to allow
+  /// for different authentication headers for different images.
+  final ImageAuthenticationResolver? imageAuthenticationResolver;
 }
 
 /// Typedef for the chatTitleResolver function that is used to get a title for
@@ -100,6 +106,12 @@ typedef ChatTitleResolver = String? Function(ChatModel chat);
 /// a sender.
 typedef SenderTitleResolver = String? Function(UserModel? user);
 
+/// Typedef for the imageAuthenticationResolver function that is used to get
+/// authentication headers for an image.
+typedef ImageAuthenticationResolver = Map<String, String>? Function(
+  String imageUrl,
+);
+
 /// Typedef for the messageThemeResolver function that is used to get a
 /// [MessageTheme] for a message. This can return null so you can fall back to
 /// default values for some messages.
diff --git a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/default_message_builder.dart b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/default_message_builder.dart
index dd55e24..3c2dce2 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/default_message_builder.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/default_message_builder.dart
@@ -241,7 +241,10 @@ class _DefaultChatImage extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    var chatScope = ChatScope.of(context);
+    var options = chatScope.options;
     var textTheme = Theme.of(context).textTheme;
+    var imageUrl = message.imageUrl!;
     return Padding(
       padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 4),
       child: SizedBox(
@@ -251,10 +254,11 @@ class _DefaultChatImage extends StatelessWidget {
           child: AnimatedSize(
             duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 300),
             child: CachedNetworkImage(
-              imageUrl: message.imageUrl!,
+              imageUrl: imageUrl,
               fit: BoxFit.fitWidth,
+              httpHeaders: options.imageAuthenticationResolver?.call(imageUrl),
               errorWidget: (context, url, error) => Text(
-                "Something went wrong",
+                "Something went wrong with loading the image",
                 style: textTheme.bodyLarge?.copyWith(
                   color: messageTheme.textColor,
                 ),
diff --git a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/old_message_builder.dart b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/old_message_builder.dart
index 1ed8fcc..9729f2e 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/old_message_builder.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_chat/lib/src/screens/chat_detail/widgets/old_message_builder.dart
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ class OldChatMessageBuilder extends StatelessWidget {
                         : message.isImageMessage
                             ? CachedNetworkImage(
                                 imageUrl: message.imageUrl ?? "",
+                                httpHeaders: options.imageAuthenticationResolver
+                                    ?.call(message.imageUrl ?? ""),
                               )
                             : const SizedBox.shrink(),
                   ),
@@ -182,20 +184,26 @@ class _ChatImage extends StatelessWidget {
   final String image;
 
   @override
-  Widget build(BuildContext context) => Container(
-        clipBehavior: Clip.hardEdge,
-        decoration: BoxDecoration(
-          color: Colors.black,
-          borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(40.0),
-        ),
-        width: 40,
-        height: 40,
-        child: image.isNotEmpty
-            ? CachedNetworkImage(
-                fadeInDuration: Duration.zero,
-                imageUrl: image,
-                fit: BoxFit.cover,
-              )
-            : null,
-      );
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    var chatScope = ChatScope.of(context);
+    var options = chatScope.options;
+
+    return Container(
+      clipBehavior: Clip.hardEdge,
+      decoration: BoxDecoration(
+        color: Colors.black,
+        borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(40.0),
+      ),
+      width: 40,
+      height: 40,
+      child: image.isNotEmpty
+          ? CachedNetworkImage(
+              fadeInDuration: Duration.zero,
+              imageUrl: image,
+              httpHeaders: options.imageAuthenticationResolver?.call(image),
+              fit: BoxFit.cover,
+            )
+          : null,
+    );
+  }
 }