diff --git a/api-server/server/middleware.json b/api-server/server/middleware.json
index ba86d7c355..e9eebff045 100644
--- a/api-server/server/middleware.json
+++ b/api-server/server/middleware.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   "auth:before": {
     "./middlewares/add-return-to": {},
     "./middlewares/cookie-parser": {},
-    "./middlewares/jwt-authorization": {}
+    "./middlewares/request-authorization": {}
   },
   "parse": {
     "body-parser#json": {},
diff --git a/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorizaion.test.js b/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorizaion.test.js
index 9648d57151..735db4aeb7 100644
--- a/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorizaion.test.js
+++ b/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorizaion.test.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ describe('request-authorization', () => {
 
   describe('createRequestAuthorization', () => {
     const requestAuthorization = createRequestAuthorization({
-      _jwtSecret: validJWTSecret,
+      jwtSecret: validJWTSecret,
       getUserById: mockGetUserById
     });
 
@@ -61,79 +61,183 @@ describe('request-authorization', () => {
       expect(typeof requestAuthorization).toEqual('function');
     });
 
-    it('throws when no access token is present', () => {
-      expect.assertions(2);
-      const req = mockReq({ path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth' });
-      const res = mockRes();
-      const next = sinon.spy();
-      expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
-        'Access token is required for this request'
-      );
-      expect(next.called).toBe(false);
-    });
-
-    it('throws when the access token is invalid', () => {
-      expect.assertions(2);
-      const invalidJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, invalidJWTSecret);
-      const req = mockReq({
-        path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
-        // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
-        cookie: { jwt_access_token: invalidJWT }
+    describe('cookies', () => {
+      it('throws when no access token is present', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const req = mockReq({ path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth' });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is required for this request'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
       });
-      const res = mockRes();
-      const next = sinon.spy();
 
-      expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
-        'invalid signature'
-      );
-      expect(next.called).toBe(false);
-    });
+      it('throws when the access token is invalid', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const invalidJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, invalidJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
+          cookie: { jwt_access_token: invalidJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
 
-    it('throws when the access token has expired', () => {
-      expect.assertions(2);
-      const invalidJWT = jwt.sign(
-        { accessToken: { ...accessToken, created: theBeginningOfTime } },
-        validJWTSecret
-      );
-      const req = mockReq({
-        path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
-        // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
-        cookie: { jwt_access_token: invalidJWT }
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is invalid'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
       });
-      const res = mockRes();
-      const next = sinon.spy();
 
-      expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
-        'Access token is no longer vaild'
-      );
-      expect(next.called).toBe(false);
-    });
+      it('throws when the access token has expired', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const invalidJWT = jwt.sign(
+          { accessToken: { ...accessToken, created: theBeginningOfTime } },
+          validJWTSecret
+        );
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
+          cookie: { jwt_access_token: invalidJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
 
-    it('adds the user to the request object', async done => {
-      expect.assertions(5);
-      const validJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, validJWTSecret);
-      const req = mockReq({
-        path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
-        // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
-        cookie: { jwt_access_token: validJWT }
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is no longer vaild'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('adds the user to the request object', async done => {
+        expect.assertions(5);
+        const validJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, validJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
+          cookie: { jwt_access_token: validJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(next.called).toBe(true);
+        expect(req).toHaveProperty('user');
+        expect(req.user).toEqual(users['456def']);
+        expect(req.user).toHaveProperty('points');
+        expect(req.user.points).toEqual(4);
+        return done();
+      });
+
+      it('adds the jwt to the headers', async done => {
+        const validJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, validJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
+          cookie: { jwt_access_token: validJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(res.set.calledWith('X-fcc-access-token', validJWT)).toBe(true);
+        return done();
+      });
+
+      it('calls next if request does not require authorization', async () => {
+        const req = mockReq({ path: '/unauthenticated/another/route' });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(next.called).toBe(true);
       });
-      const res = mockRes();
-      const next = sinon.spy();
-      await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
-      expect(next.called).toBe(true);
-      expect(req).toHaveProperty('user');
-      expect(req.user).toEqual(users['456def']);
-      expect(req.user).toHaveProperty('points');
-      expect(req.user.points).toEqual(4);
-      return done();
     });
 
-    it('calls next if request does not require authorization', async () => {
-      const req = mockReq({ path: '/unauthenticated/another/route' });
-      const res = mockRes();
-      const next = sinon.spy();
-      await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
-      expect(next.called).toBe(true);
+    describe('Auth header', () => {
+      it('throws when no access token is present', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const req = mockReq({ path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth' });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is required for this request'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('throws when the access token is invalid', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const invalidJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, invalidJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          headers: { 'X-fcc-access-token': invalidJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is invalid'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('throws when the access token has expired', () => {
+        expect.assertions(2);
+        const invalidJWT = jwt.sign(
+          { accessToken: { ...accessToken, created: theBeginningOfTime } },
+          validJWTSecret
+        );
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          headers: { 'X-fcc-access-token': invalidJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+
+        expect(() => requestAuthorization(req, res, next)).toThrowError(
+          'Access token is no longer vaild'
+        );
+        expect(next.called).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('adds the user to the request object', async done => {
+        expect.assertions(5);
+        const validJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, validJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          headers: { 'X-fcc-access-token': validJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(next.called).toBe(true);
+        expect(req).toHaveProperty('user');
+        expect(req.user).toEqual(users['456def']);
+        expect(req.user).toHaveProperty('points');
+        expect(req.user.points).toEqual(4);
+        return done();
+      });
+
+      it('adds the jwt to the headers', async done => {
+        const validJWT = jwt.sign({ accessToken }, validJWTSecret);
+        const req = mockReq({
+          path: '/internal/some-path/that-needs/auth',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line camelcase
+          cookie: { jwt_access_token: validJWT }
+        });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(res.set.calledWith('X-fcc-access-token', validJWT)).toBe(true);
+        return done();
+      });
+
+      it('calls next if request does not require authorization', async () => {
+        const req = mockReq({ path: '/unauthenticated/another/route' });
+        const res = mockRes();
+        const next = sinon.spy();
+        await requestAuthorization(req, res, next);
+        expect(next.called).toBe(true);
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorization.js b/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorization.js
index ef408882f0..caf419af9b 100644
--- a/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorization.js
+++ b/api-server/server/middlewares/request-authorization.js
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import loopback from 'loopback';
-import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
-import { isBefore } from 'date-fns';
 import { isEmpty } from 'lodash';
-
+import {
+  getAccessTokenFromRequest,
+  errorTypes,
+  authHeaderNS
+} from '../utils/getSetAccessToken';
 import { homeLocation } from '../../../config/env';
+import { jwtSecret as _jwtSecret } from '../../../config/secrets';
 
 import { wrapHandledError } from '../utils/create-handled-error';
 
@@ -19,18 +22,15 @@ export function isWhiteListedPath(path, whiteListREs = _whiteListREs) {
   return whiteListREs.some(re => re.test(path));
 }
 
-export default ({
-  _jwtSecret = process.env.JWT_SECRET,
-  getUserById = _getUserById
-} = {}) =>
+export default ({ jwtSecret = _jwtSecret, getUserById = _getUserById } = {}) =>
   function requestAuthorisation(req, res, next) {
     const { path } = req;
     if (apiProxyRE.test(path) && !isWhiteListedPath(path)) {
-      const cookie =
-        (req.signedCookies && req.signedCookies['jwt_access_token']) ||
-        (req.cookie && req.cookie['jwt_access_token']);
-
-      if (!cookie) {
+      const { accessToken, error, jwt } = getAccessTokenFromRequest(
+        req,
+        jwtSecret
+      );
+      if (!accessToken && error === errorTypes.noTokenFound) {
         throw wrapHandledError(
           new Error('Access token is required for this request'),
           {
@@ -41,22 +41,15 @@ export default ({
           }
         );
       }
-      let token;
-      try {
-        token = jwt.verify(cookie, _jwtSecret);
-      } catch (err) {
-        throw wrapHandledError(new Error(err.message), {
+      if (!accessToken && error === errorTypes.invalidToken) {
+        throw wrapHandledError(new Error('Access token is invalid'), {
           type: 'info',
           redirect: `${homeLocation}/signin`,
           message: 'Your access token is invalid',
           status: 403
         });
       }
-      const {
-        accessToken: { created, ttl, userId }
-      } = token;
-      const valid = isBefore(Date.now(), Date.parse(created) + ttl);
-      if (!valid) {
+      if (!accessToken && error === errorTypes.expiredToken) {
         throw wrapHandledError(new Error('Access token is no longer vaild'), {
           type: 'info',
           redirect: `${homeLocation}/signin`,
@@ -64,8 +57,9 @@ export default ({
           status: 403
         });
       }
-
+      res.set(authHeaderNS, jwt);
       if (isEmpty(req.user)) {
+        const { userId } = accessToken;
         return getUserById(userId)
           .then(user => {
             if (user) {