diff --git a/crates/ruma-api/src/lib.rs b/crates/ruma-api/src/lib.rs
index 11bd1bbf..1a4e6b89 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-api/src/lib.rs
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ use ruma_identifiers::UserId;
 ///
 ///         request: {
 ///             #[ruma_api(raw_body)]
-///             pub file: Vec<u8>,
+///             pub file: &'a [u8],
 ///         }
 ///
 ///         response: {
diff --git a/crates/ruma-api/tests/ruma_api_macros.rs b/crates/ruma-api/tests/ruma_api_macros.rs
index 1d4da977..6e08c89a 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-api/tests/ruma_api_macros.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-api/tests/ruma_api_macros.rs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ pub mod newtype_raw_body_endpoint {
 
         request: {
             #[ruma_api(raw_body)]
-            pub file: Vec<u8>,
+            pub file: &'a [u8],
         }
 
         response: {
diff --git a/crates/ruma-client-api/src/r0/media/create_content.rs b/crates/ruma-client-api/src/r0/media/create_content.rs
index 0013968d..fe0abc34 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-client-api/src/r0/media/create_content.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-client-api/src/r0/media/create_content.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ ruma_api! {
     request: {
         /// The file contents to upload.
         #[ruma_api(raw_body)]
-        pub file: Vec<u8>,
+        pub file: &'a [u8],
 
         /// The name of the file being uploaded.
         #[ruma_api(query)]
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ ruma_api! {
 
 impl<'a> Request<'a> {
     /// Creates a new `Request` with the given file contents.
-    pub fn new(file: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(file: &'a [u8]) -> Self {
         Self { file, filename: None, content_type: None }
     }
 }