diff --git a/e107_plugins/download/handlers/NginxSecureLinkMd5Decorator.php b/e107_plugins/download/handlers/NginxSecureLinkMd5Decorator.php
index 7ce9ffcca..603ce55f2 100644
--- a/e107_plugins/download/handlers/NginxSecureLinkMd5Decorator.php
+++ b/e107_plugins/download/handlers/NginxSecureLinkMd5Decorator.php
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class NginxSecureLinkMd5Decorator implements SecureLinkDecorator
 		);
 		$query_string = $url_parts['query'];
 		parse_str($query_string, $query_args);
-		$query_args['md5'] = md5($evaluation);
+		$query_args['md5'] = str_replace(array('+', '/', '='), array('-', '_', ''), base64_encode(md5($evaluation, true)));
 		if (strpos($prefs['download_security_expression'], '$secure_link_expires') !== false)
 			$query_args['expires'] = $expiry;
 		require_once(__DIR__.'/../includes/shim_http_build_url.php');
diff --git a/e107_plugins/download/languages/English/English_admin.php b/e107_plugins/download/languages/English/English_admin.php
index d3a6d1d33..a59d794dc 100644
--- a/e107_plugins/download/languages/English/English_admin.php
+++ b/e107_plugins/download/languages/English/English_admin.php
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ define("DOWLAN_HELP_10", "Help for upload options");
 // define("DOWLAN_CAPTION", "Configure Download");
 
 define("LAN_DL_SECURITY_DESCRIPTION", "Downloads can make use of server-side URL protection features to prevent hotlinking and/or enforce link expiry. " .
-	"The download server needs to be configured first before setting the options below.");
+	"This section should be configured before the download server is configured to reduce the chance of disruption to downloaders.");
 define("LAN_DL_SECURITY_MODE", "URL protection mode");
 define("LAN_DL_SECURITY_MODE_NONE", "None (Default)");
 define("LAN_DL_SECURITY_MODE_NGINX_SECURELINKMD5", "NGINX secure_link_md5");