diff --git a/changelog.d/19275.feature b/changelog.d/19275.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5147c546cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/19275.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Server admins can bypass the quarantine media check when downloading media by setting the `admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine` query parameter to `true` on Client-Server API media download requests.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/admin_api/media_admin_api.md b/docs/admin_api/media_admin_api.md
index a3d99cb074..25481a8c55 100644
--- a/docs/admin_api/media_admin_api.md
+++ b/docs/admin_api/media_admin_api.md
@@ -115,6 +115,20 @@ is quarantined, Synapse will:
  - Quarantine any existing cached remote media.
  - Quarantine any future remote media.
 
+## Downloading quarantined media
+
+Normally, when media is quarantined, it will return a 404 error when downloaded.
+Admins can bypass this by adding `?admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine=true`
+to the [normal download URL](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.16/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv1mediadownloadservernamemediaid).
+
+Bypassing the quarantine check is not recommended. Media is typically quarantined
+to prevent harmful content from being served to users, which includes admins. Only
+set the bypass parameter if you intentionally want to access potentially harmful
+content.
+
+Non-admin users cannot bypass quarantine checks, even when specifying the above
+query parameter.
+
 ## Quarantining media by ID
 
 This API quarantines a single piece of local or remote media.
diff --git a/synapse/media/media_repository.py b/synapse/media/media_repository.py
index e84e842300..cb745b96ad 100644
--- a/synapse/media/media_repository.py
+++ b/synapse/media/media_repository.py
@@ -439,7 +439,11 @@ class MediaRepository:
         return await self.store.get_cached_remote_media(origin, media_id)
 
     async def get_local_media_info(
-        self, request: SynapseRequest, media_id: str, max_timeout_ms: int
+        self,
+        request: SynapseRequest,
+        media_id: str,
+        max_timeout_ms: int,
+        bypass_quarantine: bool = False,
     ) -> LocalMedia | None:
         """Gets the info dictionary for given local media ID. If the media has
         not been uploaded yet, this function will wait up to ``max_timeout_ms``
@@ -451,6 +455,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
                 the file_id for local content.)
             max_timeout_ms: the maximum number of milliseconds to wait for the
                 media to be uploaded.
+            bypass_quarantine: whether to bypass quarantine checks
 
         Returns:
             Either the info dictionary for the given local media ID or
@@ -466,7 +471,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
                 respond_404(request)
                 return None
 
-            if media_info.quarantined_by:
+            if media_info.quarantined_by and not bypass_quarantine:
                 logger.info("Media %s is quarantined", media_id)
                 respond_404(request)
                 return None
@@ -500,6 +505,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
         max_timeout_ms: int,
         allow_authenticated: bool = True,
         federation: bool = False,
+        bypass_quarantine: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Responds to requests for local media, if exists, or returns 404.
 
@@ -513,11 +519,14 @@ class MediaRepository:
                 media to be uploaded.
             allow_authenticated: whether media marked as authenticated may be served to this request
             federation: whether the local media being fetched is for a federation request
+            bypass_quarantine: whether to bypass quarantine checks
 
         Returns:
             Resolves once a response has successfully been written to request
         """
-        media_info = await self.get_local_media_info(request, media_id, max_timeout_ms)
+        media_info = await self.get_local_media_info(
+            request, media_id, max_timeout_ms, bypass_quarantine=bypass_quarantine
+        )
         if not media_info:
             return
 
@@ -561,6 +570,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
         ip_address: str,
         use_federation_endpoint: bool,
         allow_authenticated: bool = True,
+        bypass_quarantine: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Respond to requests for remote media.
 
@@ -577,6 +587,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
                 federation `/download` endpoint
             allow_authenticated: whether media marked as authenticated may be served to this
                 request
+            bypass_quarantine: whether to bypass quarantine checks
 
         Returns:
             Resolves once a response has successfully been written to request
@@ -609,6 +620,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
                 ip_address,
                 use_federation_endpoint,
                 allow_authenticated,
+                bypass_quarantine=bypass_quarantine,
             )
 
         # Check if the media is cached on the client, if so return 304. We need
@@ -697,6 +709,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
         ip_address: str,
         use_federation_endpoint: bool,
         allow_authenticated: bool,
+        bypass_quarantine: bool = False,
     ) -> tuple[Responder | None, RemoteMedia]:
         """Looks for media in local cache, if not there then attempt to
         download from remote server.
@@ -712,6 +725,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
             ip_address: the IP address of the requester
             use_federation_endpoint: whether to request the remote media over the new federation
             /download endpoint
+            bypass_quarantine: whether to bypass quarantine checks
 
         Returns:
             A tuple of responder and the media info of the file.
@@ -732,7 +746,7 @@ class MediaRepository:
             file_id = media_info.filesystem_id
             file_info = FileInfo(server_name, file_id)
 
-            if media_info.quarantined_by:
+            if media_info.quarantined_by and not bypass_quarantine:
                 logger.info("Media is quarantined")
                 raise NotFoundError()
 
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/media.py b/synapse/rest/client/media.py
index f145b03af4..4db3b01576 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/media.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/media.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import logging
 import re
 
+from synapse.api.errors import Codes, cs_error
 from synapse.http.server import (
     HttpServer,
     respond_with_json,
@@ -235,7 +236,23 @@ class DownloadResource(RestServlet):
         # Validate the server name, raising if invalid
         parse_and_validate_server_name(server_name)
 
-        await self.auth.get_user_by_req(request, allow_guest=True)
+        requester = await self.auth.get_user_by_req(request, allow_guest=True)
+        is_admin = await self.auth.is_server_admin(requester)
+        bypass_quarantine = False
+        if parse_string(request, "admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine") == "true":
+            if is_admin:
+                logger.info("Admin bypassing quarantine for media download")
+                bypass_quarantine = True
+            else:
+                respond_with_json(
+                    request,
+                    400,
+                    cs_error(
+                        "Must be a server admin to bypass quarantine",
+                        code=Codes.UNKNOWN,
+                    ),
+                    send_cors=True,
+                )
 
         set_cors_headers(request)
         set_corp_headers(request)
@@ -259,7 +276,11 @@ class DownloadResource(RestServlet):
 
         if self._is_mine_server_name(server_name):
             await self.media_repo.get_local_media(
-                request, media_id, file_name, max_timeout_ms
+                request,
+                media_id,
+                file_name,
+                max_timeout_ms,
+                bypass_quarantine=bypass_quarantine,
             )
         else:
             ip_address = request.getClientAddress().host
@@ -271,6 +292,7 @@ class DownloadResource(RestServlet):
                 max_timeout_ms,
                 ip_address,
                 True,
+                bypass_quarantine=bypass_quarantine,
             )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/rest/admin/test_admin.py b/tests/rest/admin/test_admin.py
index f3740a8e35..77d824dcd8 100644
--- a/tests/rest/admin/test_admin.py
+++ b/tests/rest/admin/test_admin.py
@@ -71,14 +71,43 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         return resources
 
     def _ensure_quarantined(
-        self, admin_user_tok: str, server_and_media_id: str
+        self,
+        user_tok: str,
+        server_and_media_id: str,
+        include_bypass_param: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
-        """Ensure a piece of media is quarantined when trying to access it."""
+        """Ensure a piece of media is quarantined when trying to access it.
+
+        The include_bypass_param flag enables the presence of the
+        admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine query parameter, but still expects that the
+        request will fail to download the media.
+        """
+        if include_bypass_param:
+            query_string = "?admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine=true"
+            channel = self.make_request(
+                "GET",
+                f"/_matrix/client/v1/media/download/{server_and_media_id}{query_string}",
+                shorthand=False,
+                access_token=user_tok,
+            )
+
+            # Non-admins can't bypass, so this should fail regardless of whether the
+            # media is actually quarantined.
+            self.assertEqual(
+                400,
+                channel.code,
+                msg=(
+                    "Expected to receive a 400 when bypassing quarantined media: %s"
+                    % server_and_media_id
+                ),
+            )
+
+        # Repeat the request, this time without the bypass parameter.
         channel = self.make_request(
             "GET",
             f"/_matrix/client/v1/media/download/{server_and_media_id}",
             shorthand=False,
-            access_token=admin_user_tok,
+            access_token=user_tok,
         )
 
         # Should be quarantined
@@ -91,6 +120,62 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             ),
         )
 
+    def test_admin_can_bypass_quarantine(self) -> None:
+        self.register_user("admin", "pass", admin=True)
+        admin_user_tok = self.login("admin", "pass")
+
+        # Upload some media
+        response = self.helper.upload_media(SMALL_PNG, tok=admin_user_tok)
+
+        # Extract media ID from the response
+        server_name_and_media_id = response["content_uri"][6:]  # Cut off 'mxc://'
+        server_name, media_id = server_name_and_media_id.split("/")
+
+        # Attempt to access the media
+        channel = self.make_request(
+            "GET",
+            f"/_matrix/client/v1/media/download/{server_name_and_media_id}",
+            shorthand=False,
+            access_token=admin_user_tok,
+        )
+
+        # Should be successful
+        self.assertEqual(200, channel.code)
+
+        # Quarantine the media
+        url = "/_synapse/admin/v1/media/quarantine/%s/%s" % (
+            urllib.parse.quote(server_name),
+            urllib.parse.quote(media_id),
+        )
+        channel = self.make_request(
+            "POST",
+            url,
+            access_token=admin_user_tok,
+        )
+        self.pump(1.0)
+        self.assertEqual(200, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
+
+        # Now access it *without* the bypass parameter - this should fail (as expected).
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_name_and_media_id, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
+
+        # Now access it *with* the bypass parameter - this should work
+        channel = self.make_request(
+            "GET",
+            f"/_matrix/client/v1/media/download/{server_name_and_media_id}?admin_unsafely_bypass_quarantine=true",
+            shorthand=False,
+            access_token=admin_user_tok,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            200,
+            channel.code,
+            msg=(
+                "Expected to receive a 200 on accessing (with bypass) quarantined media: %s"
+                % server_name_and_media_id
+            ),
+        )
+
     @parameterized.expand(
         [
             # Attempt quarantine media APIs as non-admin
@@ -154,8 +239,14 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         self.pump(1.0)
         self.assertEqual(200, channel.code, msg=channel.json_body)
 
-        # Attempt to access the media
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_name_and_media_id)
+        # Attempt to access the media (and ensure non-admins can't download it, even
+        # with a bypass parameter). Admins cannot download it without the bypass param.
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_name_and_media_id, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_name_and_media_id, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
 
     @parameterized.expand(
         [
@@ -214,9 +305,21 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         server_and_media_id_1 = mxc_1[6:]
         server_and_media_id_2 = mxc_2[6:]
 
-        # Test that we cannot download any of the media anymore
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1)
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2)
+        # Test that we cannot download any of the media anymore, especially with the
+        # bypass parameter set. Admins cannot download the media without supplying the
+        # bypass parameter, so we check that too.
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
 
     def test_quarantine_all_media_by_user(self) -> None:
         self.register_user("user_admin", "pass", admin=True)
@@ -263,10 +366,27 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             channel.json_body, {"num_quarantined": 3}, "Expected 3 quarantined items"
         )
 
-        # Attempt to access each piece of media
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1)
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2)
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_3)
+        # Attempt to access each piece of media, ensuring that it can't be downloaded
+        # even with a bypass parameter. Admins should not be able to download the media
+        # either when not supplying the bypass parameter, so we check that too.
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_3, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_2, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_3, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
 
     def test_cannot_quarantine_safe_media(self) -> None:
         self.register_user("user_admin", "pass", admin=True)
@@ -307,8 +427,14 @@ class QuarantineMediaTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
         )
 
         # Attempt to access each piece of media, the first should fail, the
-        # second should succeed.
-        self._ensure_quarantined(admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1)
+        # second should succeed. We check both the non-admin user with a bypass
+        # parameter, and the admin user without.
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            non_admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=True
+        )
+        self._ensure_quarantined(
+            admin_user_tok, server_and_media_id_1, include_bypass_param=False
+        )
 
         # Attempt to access each piece of media
         channel = self.make_request(