diff --git a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/RecipesController.java b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/RecipesController.java
index 66678b2..bbec3e6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/RecipesController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/RecipesController.java
@@ -190,6 +190,16 @@ public class RecipesController {
         return ResponseEntity.ok(this.sliceViewService.getSliceView(slice));
     }
 
+    @GetMapping("/{username}/{slug}/comments/count")
+    public ResponseEntity<Map<String, Object>> getCommentsCount(
+            @PathVariable String username,
+            @PathVariable String slug,
+            @Nullable @AuthenticationPrincipal User principal
+    ) {
+        final int count = this.recipeCommentService.countComments(username, slug, principal);
+        return ResponseEntity.ok(Map.of("count", count));
+    }
+
     @PostMapping("/{username}/{slug}/comments")
     public ResponseEntity<RecipeCommentView> addComment(
             @PathVariable String username,
diff --git a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentService.java b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentService.java
index 54cf2c6..6be83f3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentService.java
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ public interface RecipeCommentService {
     Slice<RecipeCommentView> getComments(String recipeUsername, String recipeSlug, Pageable pageable, User viewer);
     RecipeComment update(Integer commentId, User viewer, RecipeCommentUpdateSpec spec) ;
     void delete(Integer commentId, User modifier);
-    int countComments(String recipeUsername, String recipeSlug);
+    int countComments(String recipeUsername, String recipeSlug, User viewer);
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentServiceImpl.java
index 5a93f5e..52549ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/app/mealsmadeeasy/api/recipe/comment/RecipeCommentServiceImpl.java
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ public class RecipeCommentServiceImpl implements RecipeCommentService {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public int countComments(String recipeUsername, String recipeSlug) {
+    @PreAuthorize("@recipeSecurity.isViewableBy(#recipeUsername, #recipeSlug, #viewer)")
+    public int countComments(String recipeUsername, String recipeSlug, User viewer) {
         return this.recipeCommentRepository.countByUsernameAndSlug(recipeUsername, recipeSlug);
     }