diff --git a/api/api/models/audio.py b/api/api/models/audio.py
index 2a0e9621a16..02b82263de2 100644
--- a/api/api/models/audio.py
+++ b/api/api/models/audio.py
@@ -224,19 +224,6 @@ def duration_in_s(self):
     def audio_set(self):
         return getattr(self, "audioset")
 
-    def get_waveform(self) -> list[float]:
-        """
-        Get the waveform if it exists. Return a blank list otherwise.
-
-        :return: the waveform, if it exists; empty list otherwise
-        """
-
-        try:
-            add_on = AudioAddOn.objects.get(audio_identifier=self.identifier)
-            return add_on.waveform_peaks or []
-        except AudioAddOn.DoesNotExist:
-            return []
-
     def get_or_create_waveform(self):
         add_on, _ = AudioAddOn.objects.get_or_create(audio_identifier=self.identifier)
 
diff --git a/api/api/serializers/audio_serializers.py b/api/api/serializers/audio_serializers.py
index b65f56c89ce..18b552ccc37 100644
--- a/api/api/serializers/audio_serializers.py
+++ b/api/api/serializers/audio_serializers.py
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def get_peaks(self, obj) -> list[int]:
-        if isinstance(obj, Hit):
-            obj = Audio.objects.get(identifier=obj.identifier)
-        return obj.get_waveform()
+        audio_addon = self.context.get("addons", {}).get(obj.identifier)
+        if audio_addon:
+            return audio_addon.waveform_peaks
 
     def to_representation(self, instance):
         # Get the original representation
diff --git a/api/api/views/audio_views.py b/api/api/views/audio_views.py
index 0adb95f1d89..fe795f61908 100644
--- a/api/api/views/audio_views.py
+++ b/api/api/views/audio_views.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 )
 from api.docs.audio_docs import thumbnail as thumbnail_docs
 from api.models import Audio
+from api.models.audio import AudioAddOn
 from api.serializers.audio_serializers import (
     AudioReportRequestSerializer,
     AudioSearchRequestSerializer,
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ class AudioViewSet(MediaViewSet):
     """Viewset for all endpoints pertaining to audio."""
 
     model_class = Audio
+    addon_model_class = AudioAddOn
     media_type = AUDIO_TYPE
     query_serializer_class = AudioSearchRequestSerializer
     default_index = settings.MEDIA_INDEX_MAPPING[AUDIO_TYPE]
@@ -47,6 +49,9 @@ class AudioViewSet(MediaViewSet):
     def get_queryset(self):
         return super().get_queryset().select_related("sensitive_audio", "audioset")
 
+    def include_addons(self, serializer):
+        return serializer.validated_data.get("peaks")
+
     # Extra actions
 
     async def get_image_proxy_media_info(self) -> image_proxy.MediaInfo:
diff --git a/api/api/views/media_views.py b/api/api/views/media_views.py
index 50e651ee042..d49f386e206 100644
--- a/api/api/views/media_views.py
+++ b/api/api/views/media_views.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from api.controllers import search_controller
 from api.controllers.elasticsearch.related import related_media
 from api.models import ContentSource
+from api.models.base import OpenLedgerModel
 from api.models.media import AbstractMedia
 from api.serializers import media_serializers
 from api.serializers.source_serializers import SourceSerializer
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ class MediaViewSet(AsyncViewSetMixin, AsyncAPIView, ReadOnlyModelViewSet):
 
     # Populate these in the corresponding subclass
     model_class: type[AbstractMedia] = None
+    addon_model_class: type[OpenLedgerModel] = None
     media_type: MediaType | None = None
     query_serializer_class = None
     default_index = None
@@ -97,7 +99,11 @@ def _get_request_serializer(self, request):
         req_serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
         return req_serializer
 
-    def get_db_results(self, results):
+    def get_db_results(
+        self,
+        results,
+        include_addons=False,
+    ) -> tuple[list[AbstractMedia], list[OpenLedgerModel]]:
         """
         Map ES hits to ORM model instances.
 
@@ -107,6 +113,7 @@ def get_db_results(self, results):
         which is both unique and indexed, so it's quite performant.
 
         :param results: the list of ES hits
+        :param include_addons: whether to include add-ons with results
         :return: the corresponding list of ORM model instances
         """
 
@@ -121,7 +128,12 @@ def get_db_results(self, results):
         for result, hit in zip(results, hits):
             result.fields_matched = getattr(hit.meta, "highlight", None)
 
-        return results
+        if include_addons and self.addon_model_class:
+            addons = list(self.addon_model_class.objects.filter(pk__in=identifiers))
+        else:
+            addons = []
+
+        return (results, addons)
 
     # Standard actions
 
@@ -147,6 +159,20 @@ def _validate_source(self, source):
                 detail=f"Invalid source '{source}'. Valid sources are: {valid_string}.",
             )
 
+    def include_addons(self, serializer):
+        """
+        Whether to include objects of the addon model when mapping hits to
+        objects of the media model.
+
+        If the media type has an addon model, this method should be overridden
+        in the subclass to return ``True`` based on serializer input.
+
+        :param serializer: the validated serializer instance
+        :return: whether to include addon model objects
+        """
+
+        return False
+
     def get_media_results(
         self,
         request,
@@ -188,9 +214,13 @@ def get_media_results(
         except ValueError as e:
             raise APIException(getattr(e, "message", str(e)))
 
-        serializer_context = search_context | self.get_serializer_context()
-
-        results = self.get_db_results(results)
+        include_addons = self.include_addons(params)
+        results, addons = self.get_db_results(results, include_addons)
+        serializer_context = (
+            search_context
+            | self.get_serializer_context()
+            | {"addons": {addon.audio_identifier: addon for addon in addons}}
+        )
 
         serializer = self.get_serializer(results, many=True, context=serializer_context)
         return self.get_paginated_response(serializer.data)
@@ -231,7 +261,7 @@ def related(self, request, identifier=None, *_, **__):
 
         serializer_context = self.get_serializer_context()
 
-        results = self.get_db_results(results)
+        results, _ = self.get_db_results(results)
 
         serializer = self.get_serializer(results, many=True, context=serializer_context)
         return self.get_paginated_response(serializer.data)
diff --git a/api/test/integration/test_dead_link_filter.py b/api/test/integration/test_dead_link_filter.py
index ec7a36efa9c..cd876a0a531 100644
--- a/api/test/integration/test_dead_link_filter.py
+++ b/api/test/integration/test_dead_link_filter.py
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ def get_empty_cached_statuses(_, image_urls):
 _MAKE_HEAD_REQUESTS_MODULE_PATH = "api.utils.check_dead_links._make_head_requests"
 
 
+def _mock_get_db_results(results, include_addons=False):
+    return (results, [])
+
+
 def _patch_make_head_requests():
     def _make_head_requests(urls, *args, **kwargs):
         responses = []
@@ -67,7 +71,7 @@ def test_dead_link_filtering(mocked_map, api_client):
     with patch(
         "api.views.image_views.ImageViewSet.get_db_results"
     ) as mock_get_db_result:
-        mock_get_db_result.side_effect = lambda value: value
+        mock_get_db_result.side_effect = _mock_get_db_results
         res_with_dead_links = api_client.get(
             path,
             query_params | {"filter_dead": False},
@@ -121,7 +125,7 @@ def test_dead_link_filtering_all_dead_links(
     with patch(
         "api.views.image_views.ImageViewSet.get_db_results"
     ) as mock_get_db_result:
-        mock_get_db_result.side_effect = lambda value: value
+        mock_get_db_result.side_effect = _mock_get_db_results
         with patch_link_validation_dead_for_count(page_size / DEAD_LINK_RATIO):
             response = api_client.get(
                 path,
diff --git a/api/test/unit/models/test_audio.py b/api/test/unit/models/test_audio.py
index 3372c6b0e98..80f30bf1b9d 100644
--- a/api/test/unit/models/test_audio.py
+++ b/api/test/unit/models/test_audio.py
@@ -41,28 +41,3 @@ def test_audio_waveform_caches(generate_peaks_mock, audio_fixture):
     audio_fixture.delete()
 
     assert AudioAddOn.objects.count() == 1
-
-
-@pytest.mark.django_db
-@mock.patch("api.models.audio.AudioAddOn.objects.get")
-def test_audio_waveform_sent_when_present(get_mock, audio_fixture):
-    # When ``AudioAddOn.waveform_peaks`` exists, waveform is filled
-    peaks = [0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.25, 0.1]
-    get_mock.return_value = mock.Mock(waveform_peaks=peaks)
-    assert audio_fixture.get_waveform() == peaks
-
-
-@pytest.mark.django_db
-@mock.patch("api.models.audio.AudioAddOn.objects.get")
-def test_audio_waveform_blank_when_absent(get_mock, audio_fixture):
-    # When ``AudioAddOn`` does not exist, waveform is blank
-    get_mock.side_effect = AudioAddOn.DoesNotExist()
-    assert audio_fixture.get_waveform() == []
-
-
-@pytest.mark.django_db
-@mock.patch("api.models.audio.AudioAddOn.objects.get")
-def test_audio_waveform_blank_when_none(get_mock, audio_fixture):
-    # When ``AudioAddOn.waveform_peaks`` is None, waveform is blank
-    get_mock.return_value = mock.Mock(waveform_peaks=None)
-    assert audio_fixture.get_waveform() == []
diff --git a/api/test/unit/views/test_audio_views.py b/api/test/unit/views/test_audio_views.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ef689b30dc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/test/unit/views/test_audio_views.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+import pytest_django.asserts
+
+from test.factory.models import AudioFactory
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("peaks, query_count", [(True, 2), (False, 1)])
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_peaks_param_determines_addons(api_client, peaks, query_count):
+    num_results = 20
+
+    # Since controller returns a list of ``Hit``s, not model instances, we must
+    # set the ``meta`` param on each of them to match the shape of ``Hit``.
+    results = AudioFactory.create_batch(size=num_results)
+    for result in results:
+        result.meta = None
+
+    controller_ret = (
+        results,
+        1,  # num_pages
+        num_results,
+        {},  # search_context
+    )
+    with (
+        patch(
+            "api.views.media_views.search_controller",
+            query_media=MagicMock(return_value=controller_ret),
+        ),
+        patch(
+            "api.serializers.media_serializers.search_controller",
+            get_sources=MagicMock(return_value={}),
+        ),
+        pytest_django.asserts.assertNumQueries(query_count),
+    ):
+        res = api_client.get(f"/v1/audio/?peaks={peaks}")
+
+    assert res.status_code == 200