diff --git a/.changeset/late-colts-shout.md b/.changeset/late-colts-shout.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a8d9104b4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/late-colts-shout.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"api": minor
+---
+
+add /v1/keys.whoami route
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.error.test.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.error.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b592e964ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.error.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { newId } from "@unkey/id";
+import { KeyV1 } from "@unkey/keys";
+import { IntegrationHarness } from "src/pkg/testutil/integration-harness";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+
+import type { V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse } from "./v1_keys_whoami";
+
+test("when the key does not exist", async (t) => {
+  const h = await IntegrationHarness.init(t);
+  const apiId = newId("api");
+  const key = new KeyV1({ prefix: "test", byteLength: 16 }).toString();
+
+  const root = await h.createRootKey([`api.${apiId}.read_key`]);
+
+  const res = await h.post<V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse>({
+    url: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+    headers: {
+      Authorization: `Bearer ${root.key}`,
+      "Content-Type": "application/json",
+    },
+    body: {
+      key: key,
+    },
+  });
+
+  expect(res.status).toEqual(404);
+  expect(res.body).toMatchObject({
+    error: {
+      code: "NOT_FOUND",
+      docs: "https://unkey.dev/docs/api-reference/errors/code/NOT_FOUND",
+      message: "Key not found",
+    },
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.happy.test.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.happy.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b38c1c1247
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.happy.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { schema } from "@unkey/db";
+import { sha256 } from "@unkey/hash";
+import { newId } from "@unkey/id";
+import { KeyV1 } from "@unkey/keys";
+import { IntegrationHarness } from "src/pkg/testutil/integration-harness";
+
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import type { V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse } from "./v1_keys_whoami";
+
+test("returns 200", async (t) => {
+  const h = await IntegrationHarness.init(t);
+  const root = await h.createRootKey(["api.*.read_key"]);
+
+  const key = new KeyV1({ byteLength: 16 }).toString();
+  const hash = await sha256(key);
+  const meta = JSON.stringify({ hello: "world" });
+
+  const keySchema = {
+    id: newId("test"),
+    keyAuthId: h.resources.userKeyAuth.id,
+    workspaceId: h.resources.userWorkspace.id,
+    start: "test",
+    name: "test",
+    remaining: 100,
+    enabled: true,
+    environment: "test",
+    hash: hash,
+    meta: meta,
+    createdAt: new Date(),
+  };
+  await h.db.primary.insert(schema.keys).values(keySchema);
+
+  const res = await h.post<V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse>({
+    url: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+    headers: {
+      "Content-Type": "application/json",
+      Authorization: `Bearer ${root.key}`,
+    },
+    body: {
+      key: key,
+    },
+  });
+  expect(res.status, `expected 200, received: ${JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)}`).toBe(200);
+
+  expect(res.body.id).toEqual(keySchema.id);
+  expect(res.body.name).toEqual(keySchema.name);
+  expect(res.body.remaining).toEqual(keySchema.remaining);
+  expect(res.body.name).toEqual(keySchema.name);
+  expect(res.body.meta).toEqual(JSON.parse(keySchema.meta));
+  expect(res.body.enabled).toEqual(keySchema.enabled);
+  expect(res.body.environment).toEqual(keySchema.environment);
+});
+
+test("returns identity", async (t) => {
+  const h = await IntegrationHarness.init(t);
+
+  const identity = {
+    id: newId("identity"),
+    externalId: randomUUID(),
+    workspaceId: h.resources.userWorkspace.id,
+  };
+  await h.db.primary.insert(schema.identities).values(identity);
+
+  const { key } = await h.createKey({ identityId: identity.id });
+  const root = await h.createRootKey([
+    `api.${h.resources.userApi.id}.read_api`,
+    `api.${h.resources.userApi.id}.read_key`,
+  ]);
+
+  const res = await h.post<V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse>({
+    url: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+    headers: {
+      "Content-Type": "application/json",
+      Authorization: `Bearer ${root.key}`,
+    },
+    body: {
+      key: key,
+    },
+  });
+
+  expect(res.status, `expected 200, received: ${JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)}`).toBe(200);
+  expect(res.body.identity).toBeDefined();
+  expect(res.body.identity!.id).toEqual(identity.id);
+  expect(res.body.identity!.externalId).toEqual(identity.externalId);
+});
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.security.test.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.security.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7725c70a14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.security.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { runCommonRouteTests } from "@/pkg/testutil/common-tests";
+import { IntegrationHarness } from "src/pkg/testutil/integration-harness";
+
+import { describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import type { V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse } from "./v1_keys_whoami";
+
+runCommonRouteTests<V1KeysWhoAmIRequest>({
+  prepareRequest: async (h) => {
+    const { key } = await h.createKey();
+    return {
+      method: "POST",
+      url: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+      headers: {
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+      },
+      body: {
+        key: key,
+      },
+    };
+  },
+});
+
+describe("correct permissions", () => {
+  describe.each([
+    { name: "legacy", roles: ["*"] },
+    { name: "legacy and more", roles: ["*", randomUUID()] },
+    { name: "wildcard api", roles: ["api.*.read_key", "api.*.read_api"] },
+    {
+      name: "wildcard mixed",
+      roles: ["api.*.read_key", (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_api`],
+    },
+    {
+      name: "wildcard mixed 2",
+      roles: ["api.*.read_api", (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_key`],
+    },
+    { name: "wildcard and more", roles: ["api.*.read_key", "api.*.read_api", randomUUID()] },
+    {
+      name: "specific apiId",
+      roles: [
+        (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_key`,
+        (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_api`,
+      ],
+    },
+    {
+      name: "specific apiId and more",
+      roles: [
+        (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_key`,
+        (apiId: string) => `api.${apiId}.read_api`,
+        randomUUID(),
+      ],
+    },
+  ])("$name", ({ roles }) => {
+    test("returns 200", async (t) => {
+      const h = await IntegrationHarness.init(t);
+      const { key } = await h.createKey();
+
+      const root = await h.createRootKey(
+        roles.map((role) => (typeof role === "string" ? role : role(h.resources.userApi.id))),
+      );
+
+      const res = await h.post<V1KeysWhoAmIRequest, V1KeysWhoAmIResponse>({
+        url: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+        headers: {
+          "Content-Type": "application/json",
+          Authorization: `Bearer ${root.key}`,
+        },
+        body: {
+          key: key,
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status, `expected 200, received: ${JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)}`).toEqual(200);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a32b4172d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/v1_keys_whoAmI.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+import type { App } from "@/pkg/hono/app";
+import { createRoute, z } from "@hono/zod-openapi";
+
+import { rootKeyAuth } from "@/pkg/auth/root_key";
+import { UnkeyApiError, openApiErrorResponses } from "@/pkg/errors";
+import { sha256 } from "@unkey/hash";
+import { buildUnkeyQuery } from "@unkey/rbac";
+
+const route = createRoute({
+  tags: ["keys"],
+  operationId: "whoami",
+  method: "post",
+  path: "/v1/keys.whoami",
+  security: [{ bearerAuth: [] }],
+  request: {
+    body: {
+      required: true,
+      content: {
+        "application/json": {
+          schema: z.object({
+            key: z.string().min(1).openapi({
+              description: "The actual key to fetch",
+              example: "sk_123",
+            }),
+          }),
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
+  responses: {
+    200: {
+      description: "The configuration for a single key",
+      content: {
+        "application/json": {
+          schema: z.object({
+            id: z.string().openapi({
+              description: "The ID of the key",
+              example: "key_123",
+            }),
+            name: z.string().optional().openapi({
+              description: "The name of the key",
+              example: "API Key 1",
+            }),
+            remaining: z.number().int().optional().openapi({
+              description: "The remaining number of requests for the key",
+              example: 1000,
+            }),
+            identity: z
+              .object({
+                id: z.string().openapi({
+                  description: "The identity ID associated with the key",
+                  example: "id_123",
+                }),
+                externalId: z.string().openapi({
+                  description: "The external identity ID associated with the key",
+                  example: "ext123",
+                }),
+              })
+              .optional()
+              .openapi({
+                description: "The identity object associated with the key",
+              }),
+            meta: z
+              .record(z.unknown())
+              .optional()
+              .openapi({
+                description: "Metadata associated with the key",
+                example: { role: "admin", plan: "premium" },
+              }),
+            createdAt: z.number().int().openapi({
+              description: "The timestamp in milliseconds when the key was created",
+              example: 1620000000000,
+            }),
+            enabled: z.boolean().openapi({
+              description: "Whether the key is enabled",
+              example: true,
+            }),
+            environment: z.string().optional().openapi({
+              description: "The environment the key is associated with",
+              example: "production",
+            }),
+          }),
+        },
+      },
+    },
+    ...openApiErrorResponses,
+  },
+});
+
+export type Route = typeof route;
+export type V1KeysWhoAmIRequest = z.infer<
+  (typeof route.request.body.content)["application/json"]["schema"]
+>;
+export type V1KeysWhoAmIResponse = z.infer<
+  (typeof route.responses)[200]["content"]["application/json"]["schema"]
+>;
+
+export const registerV1KeysWhoAmI = (app: App) =>
+  app.openapi(route, async (c) => {
+    const { key: secret } = c.req.valid("json");
+    const { cache, db } = c.get("services");
+    const hash = await sha256(secret);
+    const { val: data, err } = await cache.keyByHash.swr(hash, async () => {
+      const dbRes = await db.readonly.query.keys.findFirst({
+        where: (table, { eq, and, isNull }) => and(eq(table.hash, hash), isNull(table.deletedAt)),
+        with: {
+          keyAuth: {
+            with: {
+              api: true,
+            },
+          },
+          identity: true,
+        },
+      });
+
+      if (!dbRes) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      return {
+        key: {
+          ...dbRes,
+        },
+        api: dbRes.keyAuth.api,
+        identity: dbRes.identity,
+      } as any; // this was necessary so that we don't need to return the workspace and other types defined in keyByHash
+    });
+
+    if (err) {
+      throw new UnkeyApiError({
+        code: "INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR",
+        message: `unable to load key: ${err.message}`,
+      });
+    }
+    if (!data) {
+      throw new UnkeyApiError({
+        code: "NOT_FOUND",
+        message: "Key not found",
+      });
+    }
+    const { api, key } = data;
+    const auth = await rootKeyAuth(
+      c,
+      buildUnkeyQuery(({ or }) => or("*", "api.*.read_key", `api.${api.id}.read_key`)),
+    );
+
+    if (key.workspaceId !== auth.authorizedWorkspaceId) {
+      throw new UnkeyApiError({
+        code: "NOT_FOUND",
+        message: "Key not found",
+      });
+    }
+    let meta = key.meta ? JSON.parse(key.meta) : undefined;
+    if (!meta || Object.keys(meta).length === 0) {
+      meta = undefined;
+    }
+
+    return c.json({
+      id: key.id,
+      name: key.name ?? undefined,
+      remaining: key.remaining ?? undefined,
+      identity: data.identity
+        ? {
+            id: data.identity.id,
+            externalId: data.identity.externalId,
+          }
+        : undefined,
+      meta: meta,
+      createdAt: key.createdAt.getTime(),
+      enabled: key.enabled,
+      environment: key.environment ?? undefined,
+    });
+  });
diff --git a/apps/api/src/worker.ts b/apps/api/src/worker.ts
index 6a15a707f6..913cc4bfc5 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/worker.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/worker.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { registerV1KeysGetVerifications } from "./routes/v1_keys_getVerification
 import { registerV1KeysUpdate } from "./routes/v1_keys_updateKey";
 import { registerV1KeysUpdateRemaining } from "./routes/v1_keys_updateRemaining";
 import { registerV1KeysVerifyKey } from "./routes/v1_keys_verifyKey";
+import { registerV1KeysWhoAmI } from "./routes/v1_keys_whoami";
 import { registerV1Liveness } from "./routes/v1_liveness";
 import { registerV1RatelimitLimit } from "./routes/v1_ratelimit_limit";
 
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ registerV1Liveness(app);
 
 // keys
 registerV1KeysGetKey(app);
+registerV1KeysWhoAmI(app);
 registerV1KeysDeleteKey(app);
 registerV1KeysCreateKey(app);
 registerV1KeysVerifyKey(app);
diff --git a/apps/docs/api-reference/keys/whoami.mdx b/apps/docs/api-reference/keys/whoami.mdx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc45d0f8ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/docs/api-reference/keys/whoami.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+title: Returns data about a key
+openapi: post /v1/keys.whoami
+---
+
+## Changelog
+
+| Date        | Changes                     |
+|-------------|-----------------------------|
+| Oct 07 2024 | Introduced endpoint         |
+
+
+You may not always have easy access to the `keyId` and therefore can't use [`/v1/keys.getKey`](/api-reference/keys/get).
+This offers an escape hatch to send us the real key instead.
+
diff --git a/apps/docs/mint.json b/apps/docs/mint.json
index bb51ddea24..d29f8ea1e7 100644
--- a/apps/docs/mint.json
+++ b/apps/docs/mint.json
@@ -234,7 +234,8 @@
             "api-reference/keys/set-permissions",
             "api-reference/keys/add-roles",
             "api-reference/keys/remove-roles",
-            "api-reference/keys/set-roles"
+            "api-reference/keys/set-roles",
+            "api-reference/keys/whoami"
           ]
         },
         {