diff --git a/internal/auth/auth.go b/internal/auth/auth.go
index 75ea34a..149b339 100644
--- a/internal/auth/auth.go
+++ b/internal/auth/auth.go
@@ -98,10 +98,6 @@ func ValidateAccessToken(accessTokenString string, jwtKey []byte) (AccessTokenCl
 		return jwtKey, nil
 	})
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return *accessClaims, nil
-	}
-
 	if accessToken.Valid {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 			"token":        accessTokenString,
@@ -111,7 +107,7 @@ func ValidateAccessToken(accessTokenString string, jwtKey []byte) (AccessTokenCl
 	}
 
 	if ve, ok := err.(*jwt.ValidationError); ok {
-		if ve.Errors&jwt.ValidationErrorMalformed != 0 {
+		if ve.Errors&(jwt.ValidationErrorMalformed|jwt.ValidationErrorSignatureInvalid) != 0 {
 			return AccessTokenClaims{}, &ErrMalformedToken{}
 		} else if ve.Errors&(jwt.ValidationErrorExpired|jwt.ValidationErrorNotValidYet) != 0 {
 			return AccessTokenClaims{}, &ErrExpiredToken{}
diff --git a/internal/auth/auth_test.go b/internal/auth/auth_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..866e54d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/auth/auth_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/dgrijalva/jwt-go"
+)
+
+// Override time value for jwt tests.  Restore default value after.
+func at(t time.Time, f func()) {
+	jwt.TimeFunc = func() time.Time {
+		return t
+	}
+	f()
+	jwt.TimeFunc = time.Now
+}
+
+func TestAuth_ValidateAccessToken(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedToken := AccessTokenClaims{
+		UserID:         "1234",
+		Restricted:     "unrestricted",
+		OrgRole:        "member",
+		StandardClaims: jwt.StandardClaims{ExpiresAt: 1000},
+	}
+	// jwt with the claims of expectedToken signed by secretKey
+	jwtString := "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1c2VySWQiOiIxMjM0IiwicmVzdHJpY3RlZCI6InVucmVzdHJpY3RlZCIsIm9yZ1JvbGUiOiJtZW1iZXIiLCJleHAiOjEwMDB9.Zc4mrnogDccYffA7dWogdWsZMELftQluh2X5xDyzOpA"
+	secretKey := []byte("secret")
+
+	// Check that decrypt failure is detected
+	token, err := ValidateAccessToken(jwtString, []byte("incorrectSecret"))
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("[IncorrectKey] Expected an error when validating a token with the incorrect key, instead got token %v", token)
+	} else if _, ok := err.(*ErrMalformedToken); !ok {
+		t.Errorf("[IncorrectKey] Expected an ErrMalformedToken error when validating a token with the incorrect key, instead got error %T:%v", err, err)
+	}
+
+	// Check that token expiration check works
+	token, err = ValidateAccessToken(jwtString, secretKey)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("[TokenExpired] Expected an error when validating an expired token, instead got token %v", token)
+	} else if _, ok := err.(*ErrExpiredToken); !ok {
+		t.Errorf("[TokenExpired] Expected an ErrExpiredToken error when validating an expired token, instead got error %T:%v", err, err)
+	}
+	
+	// Check that token validation works with a valid token
+	// Set the time to be valid for the token expiration
+	at(time.Unix(500, 0), func() {
+		token, err = ValidateAccessToken(jwtString, secretKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("[TokenValid] Expected no errors when validating token, instead got err %v", err)
+		} else if token != expectedToken {
+			t.Errorf("[TokenValid] Expected token with claims %v but instead had claims %v", expectedToken, token)
+		}
+	})
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/magefile.go b/magefile.go
index c3efec4..24845db 100644
--- a/magefile.go
+++ b/magefile.go
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ func (Backend) Schema() error {
 	return sh.Run("gqlgen")
 }
 
+func (Backend) Test() error {
+	fmt.Println("running taskcafe backend unit tests")
+	return sh.RunV("go", "test", "./...")
+}
+
 // Install runs frontend:install
 func Install() {
 	mg.SerialDeps(Frontend.Install)