diff --git a/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts b/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
index 2c49e89..717d79f 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/conversations.ts
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ export default function getConversationRoutes() {
   router.get('/:conversationId', authCheck);
 
   // get all conversations that I am in
+  // todo: add in pagination for performance, while allowing getting long polling updates?
   router.get('/', authCheck, getAllConversations);
 
   // get a one on one conversation based on other user Id
-  router.get('/check/:otherUserId', authCheck);
+  router.get('/check/:otherUserId', authCheck, getOneOnOneConversationIfExists);
 
   // get a conversation's content
   router.get('/:conversationId/content', authCheck);
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ export default function getConversationRoutes() {
 const getAllConversations = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
   const userInfo = res.locals.userInfo as JwtClaims;
 
+  // todo: use pagination params to get only certain ones
+
   try {
     const resultConversations = await ConversationService.getAllConversationsForUser(
       userInfo.userId,
@@ -57,6 +60,28 @@ const getAllConversations = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFuncti
   }
 };
 
+const getOneOnOneConversationIfExists = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
+  const userInfo = res.locals.userInfo as JwtClaims;
+  const { otherUserId } = req.params;
+
+  try {
+    const resultConversation = await ConversationService.getConversationBetweenTwoPeople(
+      new ObjectId(userInfo.userId),
+      new ObjectId(otherUserId),
+    );
+
+    return res.json(
+      new NirvanaResponse(
+        resultConversation?._id ?? undefined,
+        undefined,
+        'here is the conversation if it exists',
+      ),
+    );
+  } catch (error) {
+    return next(Error('unable to get conversations'));
+  }
+};
+
 const createConversation = async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
   const createRequest = req.body as CreateConversationRequest;
   const userInfo = res.locals.userInfo as JwtClaims;
diff --git a/packages/api/services/conversation.service.ts b/packages/api/services/conversation.service.ts
index 4bd17b6..06463c2 100644
--- a/packages/api/services/conversation.service.ts
+++ b/packages/api/services/conversation.service.ts
@@ -28,4 +28,27 @@ export default class ConversationService {
 
     return undefined;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * gets one on one conversation between two people if it exists
+   */
+  static async getConversationBetweenTwoPeople(userAId: ObjectId, userBId: ObjectId) {
+    const query = {
+      $and: [
+        {
+          'members._id': userAId,
+        },
+        { 'members._id': userBId },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    const res = await collections.conversations?.findOne(query);
+
+    // exists
+    if (res?._id) {
+      return res as Conversation;
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
 }