diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0ab65db..8f5eea8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ For more information on how to generate these files, please consult the official
 [Docker documentation](https://docs.docker.com/engine/security/protect-access/).
 
 The files can be uploaded to the device using HTTP.
-The dockerd service will restart, or try to start, after each HTTP POST request.
+The request will be rejected if the file being uploaded has the incorrect header or footer for that file type.
+The dockerd service will restart, or try to start, after each successful HTTP POST request.
 
 ```sh
 curl --anyauth -u "root:$DEVICE_PASSWORD" -F file=@ca.pem -X POST \
diff --git a/app/http_request.c b/app/http_request.c
index 1f6cd8c..df7a01e 100644
--- a/app/http_request.c
+++ b/app/http_request.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "app_paths.h"
 #include "fcgi_write_file_from_stream.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "tls.h"
 #include <gio/gio.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
@@ -81,7 +82,11 @@ post_request(FCGX_Request* request, const char* filename, restart_dockerd_t rest
         response_msg(request, HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_CONTENT, "Upload to temporary file failed.");
         return;
     }
-    if (!copy_to_localdata(temp_file, filename))
+    if (!tls_file_has_correct_format(filename, temp_file)) {
+        g_autofree char* msg =
+            g_strdup_printf("File is not a valid %s.", tls_file_description(filename));
+        response_msg(request, HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST, msg);
+    } else if (!copy_to_localdata(temp_file, filename))
         response_msg(request, HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, "Failed to copy file to localdata");
     else {
         response_204_no_content(request);
diff --git a/app/tls.c b/app/tls.c
index 2b6f1e2..6039bc1 100644
--- a/app/tls.c
+++ b/app/tls.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "app_paths.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include <glib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #define TLS_CERT_PATH APP_LOCALDATA
@@ -18,6 +19,17 @@ static struct cert tls_certs[] = {{"--tlscacert", "ca.pem", "CA certificate"},
 
 #define NUM_TLS_CERTS (sizeof(tls_certs) / sizeof(tls_certs[0]))
 
+#define BEGIN(x)        "-----BEGIN " x "-----\n"
+#define END(x)          "-----END " x "-----\n"
+#define CERTIFICATE     "CERTIFICATE"
+#define PRIVATE_KEY     "PRIVATE KEY"
+#define RSA_PRIVATE_KEY "RSA PRIVATE KEY"
+
+// Filename is assumed to be one of those listed in tls_certs[].
+static bool is_key_file(const char* filename) {
+    return strstr(filename, "key");
+}
+
 static bool cert_file_exists(const struct cert* tls_cert) {
     g_autofree char* full_path = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", TLS_CERT_PATH, tls_cert->filename);
     return access(full_path, F_OK) == 0;
@@ -39,6 +51,13 @@ void tls_log_missing_cert_warnings(void) {
                         tls_certs[i].filename);
 }
 
+const char* tls_file_description(const char* filename) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < NUM_TLS_CERTS; ++i)
+        if (strcmp(filename, tls_certs[i].filename) == 0)
+            return tls_certs[i].description;
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 const char* tls_args_for_dockerd(void) {
     static char args[512];  // Too small buffer will cause truncated options, nothing more.
     const char* end = args + sizeof(args);
@@ -53,3 +72,52 @@ const char* tls_args_for_dockerd(void) {
                           tls_certs[i].filename);
     return args;
 }
+
+static bool read_bytes_from(FILE* fp, int whence, char* buffer, int num_bytes) {
+    const long offset = whence == SEEK_SET ? 0 : -num_bytes;
+    if (fseek(fp, offset, whence) != 0) {
+        log_error("Could not reposition stream to %s%ld: %s",
+                  whence == SEEK_SET ? "SEEK_SET+" : "SEEK_END",
+                  offset,
+                  strerror(errno));
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (fread(buffer, num_bytes, 1, fp) != 1) {
+        log_error("Could not read %d bytes: %s", num_bytes, strerror(errno));
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
+static bool is_file_section_equal_to(FILE* fp, int whence, const char* section) {
+    char buffer[128];
+    int to_read = strlen(section);
+    if (!read_bytes_from(fp, whence, buffer, to_read))
+        return false;
+    buffer[to_read] = '\0';
+    return strncmp(buffer, section, to_read) == 0;
+}
+
+static bool has_header_and_footer(FILE* fp, const char* header, const char* footer) {
+    return is_file_section_equal_to(fp, SEEK_SET, header) &&
+           is_file_section_equal_to(fp, SEEK_END, footer);
+}
+
+bool tls_file_has_correct_format(const char* filename, const char* path_to_file) {
+    FILE* fp = fopen(path_to_file, "r");
+    if (!fp) {
+        log_error("Could not read %s", path_to_file);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    bool correct = is_key_file(filename)
+                       ? (has_header_and_footer(fp, BEGIN(PRIVATE_KEY), END(PRIVATE_KEY)) ||
+                          has_header_and_footer(fp, BEGIN(RSA_PRIVATE_KEY), END(RSA_PRIVATE_KEY)))
+                       : has_header_and_footer(fp, BEGIN(CERTIFICATE), END(CERTIFICATE));
+    if (!correct)
+        log_error("%s does not contain the headers and footers for a %s.",
+                  path_to_file,
+                  tls_file_description(filename));
+    fclose(fp);
+    return correct;
+}
diff --git a/app/tls.h b/app/tls.h
index 60e3203..2d951d3 100644
--- a/app/tls.h
+++ b/app/tls.h
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@
 
 bool tls_missing_certs(void);
 void tls_log_missing_cert_warnings(void);
+const char* tls_file_description(const char* filename);
 const char* tls_args_for_dockerd(void);
+bool tls_file_has_correct_format(const char* filename, const char* path_to_file);