diff --git a/classquiz/auth.py b/classquiz/auth.py
index ed81a58..92714d8 100644
--- a/classquiz/auth.py
+++ b/classquiz/auth.py
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ class OAuth2PasswordBearerWithCookie(OAuth2):
         super().__init__(flows=flows, scheme_name=scheme_name, auto_error=auto_error)
 
     async def __call__(self, request: Request) -> Optional[str]:
-        authorization: str = request.cookies.get("access_token")  # changed to accept access token from httpOnly Cookie
-        if authorization is None:
-            try:
-                authorization = request.state.access_token
-            except AttributeError:
-                pass
+        try:
+            authorization = request.state.access_token
+        except AttributeError:
+            authorization: str = request.cookies.get(
+                "access_token"
+            )  # changed to accept access token from httpOnly Cookie
         scheme, param = get_authorization_scheme_param(authorization)
         if not authorization or scheme.lower() != "bearer":
             if self.auto_error:
diff --git a/classquiz/oauth/__init__.py b/classquiz/oauth/__init__.py
index 5b35f89..af8115a 100644
--- a/classquiz/oauth/__init__.py
+++ b/classquiz/oauth/__init__.py
@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@
 from datetime import timedelta, datetime
 
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Request, Response
+from fastapi.security.utils import get_authorization_scheme_param
+from jose import jws, jwt, JWTError, JWSError
 
 from classquiz.auth import ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES, create_access_token
 from classquiz.db.models import UserSession
 from classquiz.oauth import google, github
+from classquiz.config import settings
 
+settings = settings()
 
 router = APIRouter()
 router.include_router(google.router, prefix="/google")
@@ -18,7 +22,45 @@ router.include_router(github.router, prefix="/github")
 async def rememberme_middleware(request: Request, call_next):
     rememberme_cookie = request.cookies.get("rememberme_token")
     bearer_token = request.cookies.get("access_token")
-    if rememberme_cookie is not None and bearer_token is None:
+    conditions_to_handle_met = True
+    # print(bearer_token)
+    # if bearer_token is not None:
+    #     bearer_token = bearer_token.replace("Bearer ", "")
+    #     test = jws.verify(bearer_token, settings.secret_key, algorithms=["HS256"])
+    #     try:
+    #         jwt.decode(bearer_token, settings.secret_key, algorithms=["HS256"])
+    #         print("jwt ok")
+    #     except JWTError as e:
+    #         print("jwt failed")
+    #     print(test)
+
+    scheme, param = get_authorization_scheme_param(bearer_token)
+
+    # if bearer token is none, we can just do the request, since you can't be signed in
+    if scheme is None or param is None:
+        conditions_to_handle_met = False
+    # if rememberme token is none, we can just do the request, since you can't be signed in
+    if rememberme_cookie is None:
+        conditions_to_handle_met = False
+
+    if scheme.lower() != "bearer":
+        conditions_to_handle_met = False
+
+    # Verifying the bearer
+    try:
+        jwt.decode(
+            param, settings.secret_key, algorithms=["HS256"]
+        )  # checking if the token is valid, throws error if not
+        conditions_to_handle_met = False
+    except JWTError:
+        try:
+            jws.verify(
+                param, settings.secret_key, algorithms=["HS256"]
+            )  # Verifying only the signature of the jwt, throws error if signature is invalid
+        except JWSError:
+            conditions_to_handle_met = False
+
+    if conditions_to_handle_met:
         user_session: UserSession | None = (
             await UserSession.objects.filter(session_key=rememberme_cookie)
             .select_related(UserSession.user)
@@ -27,17 +69,19 @@ async def rememberme_middleware(request: Request, call_next):
         if (user_session is None) or (user_session.user is None):
             response: Response = await call_next(request)
             return response
-        access_token_expires = timedelta(minutes=ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES * 60)
+        access_token_expires = timedelta(minutes=ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES)
+        # access_token_expires = timedelta(seconds=1)
         access_token = create_access_token(data={"sub": user_session.user.email}, expires_delta=access_token_expires)
         await user_session.update(last_seen=datetime.now())
         request.state.access_token = f"Bearer {access_token}"
+        request.cookies.pop("access_token")
         response: Response = await call_next(request)
         response.set_cookie(
             key="access_token",
             value=f"Bearer {access_token}",
             httponly=True,
             samesite="lax",
-            max_age=ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES * 60,
+            max_age=60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
         )
     else:
         response: Response = await call_next(request)
diff --git a/classquiz/oauth/authenticate_user.py b/classquiz/oauth/authenticate_user.py
index 59fe0ba..9f8aae8 100644
--- a/classquiz/oauth/authenticate_user.py
+++ b/classquiz/oauth/authenticate_user.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async def log_user_in(user: User, request: Request, response: Response):
         value=f"Bearer {access_token}",
         httponly=True,
         samesite="lax",
-        max_age=settings.access_token_expire_minutes * 60,
+        max_age=60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
     )
     response.set_cookie(
         key="rememberme_token", value=session_key, httponly=True, samesite="lax", max_age=60 * 60 * 24 * 365
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ async def rememberme_check(rememberme_token: str, response: Response):
         value=f"Bearer {access_token}",
         httponly=True,
         samesite="lax",
-        max_age=settings.access_token_expire_minutes * 60,
+        max_age=60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
     )
     response.set_cookie(key="expiry", value="", max_age=settings.access_token_expire_minutes * 60)
     response.status_code = 200