diff --git a/src/lua_resty_netacea.lua b/src/lua_resty_netacea.lua
index ffa3829..93fd96d 100644
--- a/src/lua_resty_netacea.lua
+++ b/src/lua_resty_netacea.lua
@@ -51,6 +51,31 @@ local function serveCaptchaFailOpen(body, options)
   return true
 end
 
+local function readRequestBody()
+  ngx.req.read_body()
+
+  local body = ngx.req.get_body_data()
+  if body ~= nil then
+    return body
+  end
+
+  local body_file = ngx.req.get_body_file()
+  if not body_file then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  local file, err = io.open(body_file, "rb")
+  if not file then
+    ngx.log(ngx.WARN, "NETACEA CAPTCHA - unable to read request body file: ", err)
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  local data = file:read("*a")
+  file:close()
+
+  return data
+end
+
 function _N:new(options)
   local n = {}
   setmetatable(n, self)
@@ -257,8 +282,7 @@ end
 function _N:handleCaptcha()
   self:handleSession()
 
-  ngx.req.read_body()
-  local captcha_data = ngx.req.get_body_data()
+  local captcha_data = readRequestBody()
   local protector_result = self.protectorClient:validateCaptcha(captcha_data)
   ngx.ctx.NetaceaState.protector_result = protector_result
   ngx.ctx.NetaceaState.grace_period = -1000
diff --git a/test/lua_resty_netacea_spec.lua b/test/lua_resty_netacea_spec.lua
index a0141fe..e0c3635 100644
--- a/test/lua_resty_netacea_spec.lua
+++ b/test/lua_resty_netacea_spec.lua
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ insulate("lua_resty_netacea", function()
                 req = {
                     read_body = spy.new(function() end),
                     get_body_data = spy.new(function() return "captcha-response" end),
+                    get_body_file = spy.new(function() return nil end),
                     set_header = spy.new(function() end)
                 },
                 DEBUG = 7,
@@ -926,6 +927,72 @@ insulate("lua_resty_netacea", function()
                 assert.spy(ngx_mock.print).was.called_with("Captcha OK")
                 assert.spy(ngx_mock.exit).was.called_with(200)
             end)
+
+            it("should read captcha request bodies from the temporary file when needed", function()
+                local body_file = os.tmpname()
+                local file = assert(io.open(body_file, "wb"))
+                file:write("captcha-from-file")
+                file:close()
+
+                ngx_mock.req.get_body_data = spy.new(function()
+                    return nil
+                end)
+                ngx_mock.req.get_body_file = spy.new(function()
+                    return body_file
+                end)
+
+                local captured_body
+                protector_client_instance.validateCaptcha = spy.new(function(_, body)
+                    captured_body = body
+                    return {
+                        match = "1",
+                        mitigate = "1",
+                        captcha = "2",
+                        exit_status = 200,
+                        captcha_cookie = nil,
+                        response = {
+                            body = "Captcha OK"
+                        }
+                    }
+                end)
+
+                local netacea = new_mitigation_enabled_netacea()
+
+                netacea:handleCaptcha()
+
+                assert.are.equal("captcha-from-file", captured_body)
+                os.remove(body_file)
+            end)
+
+            it("should return nil captcha body when the body file cannot be read", function()
+                ngx_mock.req.get_body_data = spy.new(function()
+                    return nil
+                end)
+                ngx_mock.req.get_body_file = spy.new(function()
+                    return "/tmp/definitely-not-a-real-body-file"
+                end)
+
+                local captured_body
+                protector_client_instance.validateCaptcha = spy.new(function(_, body)
+                    captured_body = body
+                    return {
+                        match = "1",
+                        mitigate = "1",
+                        captcha = "2",
+                        exit_status = 200,
+                        captcha_cookie = nil,
+                        response = {
+                            body = "Captcha OK"
+                        }
+                    }
+                end)
+
+                local netacea = new_mitigation_enabled_netacea()
+
+                netacea:handleCaptcha()
+
+                assert.is_nil(captured_body)
+            end)
         end)
     end)
 end)