diff --git a/authenticate/authenticate.go b/authenticate/authenticate.go
index 5476a0999..b2c999ac6 100644
--- a/authenticate/authenticate.go
+++ b/authenticate/authenticate.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/frontend"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/grpc"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/grpc/cache/client"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/httputil"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/identity"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/identity/oauth"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions"
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ func New(opts config.Options) (*Authenticate, error) {
 		WrappedStore: cookieStore})
 
 	qpStore := queryparam.NewStore(encryptedEncoder, "pomerium_programmatic_token")
-	headerStore := header.NewStore(encryptedEncoder, "Pomerium")
+	headerStore := header.NewStore(encryptedEncoder, httputil.AuthorizationTypePomerium)
 
 	redirectURL, _ := urlutil.DeepCopy(opts.AuthenticateURL)
 	redirectURL.Path = opts.AuthenticateCallbackPath
diff --git a/authorize/grpc.go b/authorize/grpc.go
index f5cdece25..e42275ed8 100644
--- a/authorize/grpc.go
+++ b/authorize/grpc.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
-	"net/http/httptest"
 	"net/url"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/httputil"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/log"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions"
-	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions/cookie"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/telemetry/trace"
 	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/urlutil"
 
@@ -37,11 +35,12 @@ func (a *Authorize) Check(ctx context.Context, in *envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRe
 	isForwardAuth := handleForwardAuth(opts, in)
 
 	hattrs := in.GetAttributes().GetRequest().GetHttp()
+	hreq := getHTTPRequestFromCheckRequest(in)
 
 	hdrs := getCheckRequestHeaders(in)
 
 	var requestHeaders []*envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValueOption
-	sess, sesserr := a.loadSessionFromCheckRequest(in)
+	sess, sesserr := loadSession(hreq, a.currentOptions.Load(), a.currentEncoder.Load())
 	if a.isExpired(sess) {
 		log.Info().Msg("refreshing session")
 		if newSession, err := a.refreshSession(ctx, sess); err == nil {
@@ -162,27 +161,24 @@ func (a *Authorize) Check(ctx context.Context, in *envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRe
 }
 
 func (a *Authorize) getEnvoyRequestHeaders(rawSession []byte) ([]*envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValueOption, error) {
-	cookieStore, err := a.getCookieStore()
+	cookieStore, err := getCookieStore(a.currentOptions.Load(), a.currentEncoder.Load())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	recorder := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	err = cookieStore.SaveSession(recorder, nil /* unused by cookie store */, string(rawSession))
+	hdrs, err := getJWTSetCookieHeaders(cookieStore, rawSession)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("authorize: error saving cookie: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	var hvos []*envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValueOption
-	for k, vs := range recorder.Header() {
-		for _, v := range vs {
-			hvos = append(hvos, &envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValueOption{
-				Header: &envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValue{
-					Key:   "x-pomerium-" + k,
-					Value: v,
-				},
-			})
-		}
+	for k, v := range hdrs {
+		hvos = append(hvos, &envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValueOption{
+			Header: &envoy_api_v2_core.HeaderValue{
+				Key:   "x-pomerium-" + k,
+				Value: v,
+			},
+		})
 	}
 
 	return hvos, nil
@@ -229,59 +225,22 @@ func (a *Authorize) refreshSession(ctx context.Context, rawSession []byte) (newS
 	return newJwt, nil
 }
 
-func (a *Authorize) loadSessionFromCheckRequest(req *envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRequest) ([]byte, error) {
-	cookieStore, err := a.getCookieStore()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	sess, err := cookieStore.LoadSession(&http.Request{
-		Header: getCheckRequestHeaders(req),
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return []byte(sess), nil
-}
-
 func (a *Authorize) isExpired(rawSession []byte) bool {
 	state := sessions.State{}
 	err := a.currentEncoder.Load().Unmarshal(rawSession, &state)
 	return err == nil && state.IsExpired()
 }
 
-func (a *Authorize) getCookieStore() (sessions.SessionStore, error) {
-	opts := a.currentOptions.Load()
-	encoder := a.currentEncoder.Load()
-
-	cookieOptions := &cookie.Options{
-		Name:     opts.CookieName,
-		Domain:   opts.CookieDomain,
-		Secure:   opts.CookieSecure,
-		HTTPOnly: opts.CookieHTTPOnly,
-		Expire:   opts.CookieExpire,
+func getHTTPRequestFromCheckRequest(req *envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRequest) *http.Request {
+	hattrs := req.GetAttributes().GetRequest().GetHttp()
+	return &http.Request{
+		Method:     hattrs.GetMethod(),
+		URL:        getCheckRequestURL(req),
+		Header:     getCheckRequestHeaders(req),
+		Body:       ioutil.NopCloser(strings.NewReader(hattrs.GetBody())),
+		Host:       hattrs.GetHost(),
+		RequestURI: hattrs.GetPath(),
 	}
-
-	cookieStore, err := cookie.NewStore(cookieOptions, encoder)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return cookieStore, nil
-}
-
-func getFullURL(rawurl, host string) string {
-	u, err := url.Parse(rawurl)
-	if err != nil {
-		u = &url.URL{Path: rawurl}
-	}
-	if u.Host == "" {
-		u.Host = host
-	}
-	if u.Scheme == "" {
-		u.Scheme = "http"
-	}
-	return u.String()
 }
 
 func getCheckRequestHeaders(req *envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRequest) map[string][]string {
diff --git a/authorize/grpc_test.go b/authorize/grpc_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index b61830b55..000000000
--- a/authorize/grpc_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-package authorize
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-)
-
-func Test_getFullURL(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		rawurl, host, expect string
-	}{
-		{"https://www.example.com/admin", "", "https://www.example.com/admin"},
-		{"https://www.example.com/admin", "example.com", "https://www.example.com/admin"},
-		{"/admin", "example.com", "http://example.com/admin"},
-	}
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		actual := getFullURL(tt.rawurl, tt.host)
-		if actual != tt.expect {
-			t.Errorf("expected getFullURL(%s, %s) to be %s, but got %s", tt.rawurl, tt.host, tt.expect, actual)
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/authorize/session.go b/authorize/session.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22257008a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authorize/session.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package authorize
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/config"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/encoding"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/httputil"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions/cookie"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions/header"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions/queryparam"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/urlutil"
+)
+
+func loadSession(req *http.Request, options config.Options, encoder encoding.MarshalUnmarshaler) ([]byte, error) {
+	var loaders []sessions.SessionLoader
+	cookieStore, err := getCookieStore(options, encoder)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	loaders = append(loaders,
+		cookieStore,
+		header.NewStore(encoder, httputil.AuthorizationTypePomerium),
+		queryparam.NewStore(encoder, urlutil.QuerySession),
+	)
+
+	for _, loader := range loaders {
+		sess, err := loader.LoadSession(req)
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, sessions.ErrNoSessionFound) {
+			return nil, err
+		} else if err == nil {
+			return []byte(sess), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil, sessions.ErrNoSessionFound
+}
+
+func getCookieStore(options config.Options, encoder encoding.MarshalUnmarshaler) (sessions.SessionStore, error) {
+	cookieOptions := &cookie.Options{
+		Name:     options.CookieName,
+		Domain:   options.CookieDomain,
+		Secure:   options.CookieSecure,
+		HTTPOnly: options.CookieHTTPOnly,
+		Expire:   options.CookieExpire,
+	}
+	cookieStore, err := cookie.NewStore(cookieOptions, encoder)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return cookieStore, nil
+}
+
+func getJWTSetCookieHeaders(cookieStore sessions.SessionStore, rawjwt []byte) (map[string]string, error) {
+	recorder := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	err := cookieStore.SaveSession(recorder, nil /* unused by cookie store */, string(rawjwt))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("authorize: error saving cookie: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	res := recorder.Result()
+	res.Body.Close()
+
+	hdrs := make(map[string]string)
+	for k, vs := range res.Header {
+		for _, v := range vs {
+			hdrs[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	return hdrs, nil
+}
diff --git a/authorize/session_test.go b/authorize/session_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..74b4fd3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/authorize/session_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+package authorize
+
+import (
+	"net/url"
+	"regexp"
+	"testing"
+
+	envoy_service_auth_v2 "github.com/envoyproxy/go-control-plane/envoy/service/auth/v2"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/config"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/encoding/jws"
+	"github.com/pomerium/pomerium/internal/sessions"
+)
+
+func TestLoadSession(t *testing.T) {
+	opts := *config.NewDefaultOptions()
+	encoder, err := jws.NewHS256Signer(nil, "example.com")
+	if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		return
+	}
+	state := &sessions.State{
+		Email: "bob@example.com",
+	}
+	rawjwt, err := encoder.Marshal(state)
+	if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		return
+	}
+
+	load := func(t *testing.T, hattrs *envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext_HttpRequest) (*sessions.State, error) {
+		req := getHTTPRequestFromCheckRequest(&envoy_service_auth_v2.CheckRequest{
+			Attributes: &envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext{
+				Request: &envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext_Request{
+					Http: hattrs,
+				},
+			},
+		})
+		raw, err := loadSession(req, opts, encoder)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		var state sessions.State
+		err = encoder.Unmarshal(raw, &state)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return &state, nil
+	}
+
+	t.Run("cookie", func(t *testing.T) {
+		cookieStore, err := getCookieStore(opts, encoder)
+		if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+			return
+		}
+		hdrs, err := getJWTSetCookieHeaders(cookieStore, rawjwt)
+		if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+			return
+		}
+		cookie := regexp.MustCompile(`^([^;]+)(;.*)?$`).ReplaceAllString(hdrs["Set-Cookie"], "$1")
+
+		hattrs := &envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext_HttpRequest{
+			Id:     "req-1",
+			Method: "GET",
+			Headers: map[string]string{
+				"Cookie": cookie,
+			},
+			Path:   "/hello/world",
+			Host:   "example.com",
+			Scheme: "https",
+		}
+		sess, err := load(t, hattrs)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		if assert.NotNil(t, sess) {
+			assert.Equal(t, "bob@example.com", sess.Email)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("header", func(t *testing.T) {
+		hattrs := &envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext_HttpRequest{
+			Id:     "req-1",
+			Method: "GET",
+			Headers: map[string]string{
+				"Authorization": "Pomerium " + string(rawjwt),
+			},
+			Path:   "/hello/world",
+			Host:   "example.com",
+			Scheme: "https",
+		}
+		sess, err := load(t, hattrs)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		if assert.NotNil(t, sess) {
+			assert.Equal(t, "bob@example.com", sess.Email)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("query param", func(t *testing.T) {
+		hattrs := &envoy_service_auth_v2.AttributeContext_HttpRequest{
+			Id:     "req-1",
+			Method: "GET",
+			Path: "/hello/world?" + url.Values{
+				"pomerium_session": []string{string(rawjwt)},
+			}.Encode(),
+			Host:   "example.com",
+			Scheme: "https",
+		}
+		sess, err := load(t, hattrs)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		if assert.NotNil(t, sess) {
+			assert.Equal(t, "bob@example.com", sess.Email)
+		}
+	})
+}
diff --git a/internal/httputil/headers.go b/internal/httputil/headers.go
index d97394aa6..f7f72265b 100644
--- a/internal/httputil/headers.go
+++ b/internal/httputil/headers.go
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 package httputil
 
+// AuthorizationTypePomerium is for Authorization: Pomerium JWT... headers
+const AuthorizationTypePomerium = "Pomerium"
+
 // Pomerium headers contain information added to a request.
 const (
 	// HeaderPomeriumResponse is set when pomerium itself creates a response,
diff --git a/internal/urlutil/query_params.go b/internal/urlutil/query_params.go
index 9c4bafc29..94d7768aa 100644
--- a/internal/urlutil/query_params.go
+++ b/internal/urlutil/query_params.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const (
 	QueryIsProgrammatic    = "pomerium_programmatic"
 	QueryForwardAuth       = "pomerium_forward_auth"
 	QueryPomeriumJWT       = "pomerium_jwt"
+	QuerySession           = "pomerium_session"
 	QuerySessionEncrypted  = "pomerium_session_encrypted"
 	QueryRedirectURI       = "pomerium_redirect_uri"
 	QueryRefreshToken      = "pomerium_refresh_token"
diff --git a/proxy/proxy.go b/proxy/proxy.go
index b98746aad..5f5c19039 100644
--- a/proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/proxy/proxy.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func New(opts config.Options) (*Proxy, error) {
 		sessionStore:    cookieStore,
 		sessionLoaders: []sessions.SessionLoader{
 			cookieStore,
-			header.NewStore(encoder, "Pomerium"),
+			header.NewStore(encoder, httputil.AuthorizationTypePomerium),
 			queryparam.NewStore(encoder, "pomerium_session")},
 		templates:       template.Must(frontend.NewTemplates()),
 		jwtClaimHeaders: opts.JWTClaimsHeaders,