diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/inference_job/delete/dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/inference_job/delete/dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler.rs
index 5c3a6dffa8..a6af6b0485 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/inference_job/delete/dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/inference_job/delete/dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use utoipa::ToSchema;
 use mysql_queries::queries::generic_inference::web::dismiss_finished_jobs_for_user::dismiss_finished_jobs_for_user;
 
 use crate::http_server::common_responses::common_web_error::CommonWebError;
-use crate::http_server::web_utils::user_session::require_user_session::require_user_session;
+use crate::http_server::web_utils::user_session::require_user_session_using_connection::require_user_session_using_connection;
 use crate::state::server_state::ServerState;
 
 #[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@ pub async fn dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler(
   http_request: HttpRequest,
   server_state: web::Data<Arc<ServerState>>) -> Result<Json<DismissFinishedSessionJobsSuccessResponse>, CommonWebError>
 {
-  let user_session = require_user_session(&http_request, &server_state)
-      .await?;
-
-  // TODO(bt,2024-06-16): Reuse connection
   let mut mysql_connection = server_state.mysql_pool.acquire()
       .await
       .map_err(|e| {
@@ -44,6 +40,10 @@ pub async fn dismiss_finished_session_jobs_handler(
         CommonWebError::ServerError
       })?;
 
+  let user_session = require_user_session_using_connection(
+      &http_request, &server_state.session_checker, &mut mysql_connection)
+      .await?;
+
   dismiss_finished_jobs_for_user(&mut mysql_connection, &user_session.user_token)
       .await
       .map_err(|err| {
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/mod.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/mod.rs
index 264c738552..04a34f76e2 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 pub mod require_moderator;
 pub mod require_user_session;
 pub mod require_user_session_extended_using_connection;
+pub mod require_user_session_using_connection;
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session.rs
index c57f96e7b3..303d3d94ab 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ impl Display for RequireUserSessionError {
 
 impl Error for RequireUserSessionError {}
 
+#[deprecated(note = "Use require_user_session_using_connection instead, which reuses an existing connection")]
 pub async fn require_user_session(
   http_request: &HttpRequest,
   server_state: &ServerState,
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session_using_connection.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session_using_connection.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ab61358654
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/user_session/require_user_session_using_connection.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+use actix_web::HttpRequest;
+use log::warn;
+use sqlx::pool::PoolConnection;
+use sqlx::MySql;
+
+use mysql_queries::queries::users::user_sessions::get_user_session_by_token::SessionUserRecord;
+
+use crate::http_server::session::session_checker::SessionChecker;
+use crate::http_server::web_utils::user_session::require_user_session::RequireUserSessionError;
+
+pub async fn require_user_session_using_connection(
+  http_request: &HttpRequest,
+  session_checker: &SessionChecker,
+  mysql_connection: &mut PoolConnection<MySql>,
+) -> Result<SessionUserRecord, RequireUserSessionError> {
+
+  let maybe_user_session = session_checker
+      .maybe_get_user_session_from_connection(http_request, mysql_connection)
+      .await
+      .map_err(|e| {
+        warn!("Session checker error: {:?}", e);
+        RequireUserSessionError::ServerError
+      })?;
+
+  let user_session = match maybe_user_session {
+    Some(session) => session,
+    None => {
+      warn!("not logged in");
+      return Err(RequireUserSessionError::NotAuthorized);
+    }
+  };
+
+  if user_session.is_banned {
+    warn!("user is banned: {:?}", user_session.user_token.as_str());
+    return Err(RequireUserSessionError::NotAuthorized);
+  }
+
+  Ok(user_session)
+}