diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index e2e1649..75d24a4 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module github.com/luthersystems/lutherauth-sdk-go
 go 1.22
 
 require (
-	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0
+	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1
 	github.com/mendsley/gojwk v0.0.0-20141217222730-4d5ec6e58103
 	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.3
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.4
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 796ad3b..d57048c 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
-github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0 h1:7cYmW1XlMY7h7ii7UhUyChSgS5wUJEnm9uZVTGqOWzg=
-github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.0/go.mod h1:m21LjoU+eqJr34lmDMbreY2eSTRJ1cv77w39/MY0Ch0=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1 h1:JdqV9zKUdtaa9gdPlywC3aeoEsR681PlKC+4F5gQgeo=
+github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v4 v4.5.1/go.mod h1:m21LjoU+eqJr34lmDMbreY2eSTRJ1cv77w39/MY0Ch0=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.6.0 h1:ofyhxvXcZhMsU5ulbFiLKl/XBFqE1GSq7atu8tAmTRI=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.6.0/go.mod h1:17dUlkBOakJ0+DkrSSNjCkIjxS6bF9zb3elmeNGIjoY=
 github.com/mendsley/gojwk v0.0.0-20141217222730-4d5ec6e58103 h1:Z/i1e+gTZrmcGeZyWckaLfucYG6KYOXLWo4co8pZYNY=
diff --git a/jwk/rs256.go b/jwk/rs256.go
index 230b30d..152d54a 100644
--- a/jwk/rs256.go
+++ b/jwk/rs256.go
@@ -23,24 +23,34 @@ import (
 
 // parseClaims parses a token for claims, and validates using a signature key.
 func parseClaims(tokenString string, pubKey *rsa.PublicKey, validate bool, claims jwtgo.Claims) (*jwtgo.Token, error) {
-	var parser jwtgo.Parser
+	var parser *jwtgo.Parser
 	alg := jwtgo.SigningMethodRS256.Name
-	parser = jwtgo.Parser{ValidMethods: []string{alg}}
+	if validate {
+		parser = jwtgo.NewParser(jwtgo.WithValidMethods([]string{alg}))
+	} else {
+		parser = jwtgo.NewParser(jwtgo.WithValidMethods([]string{alg}), jwtgo.WithoutClaimsValidation())
+	}
+
 	token, err := parser.ParseWithClaims(tokenString, claims, func(token *jwtgo.Token) (verifykey interface{}, err error) {
 		return pubKey, nil
 	})
-	// NOTE: we check err futher down due to how jwt-go handles sig verification errors
+
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, jwtgo.ErrTokenMalformed) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("malformed token: %w", err)
+		}
+		if errors.Is(err, jwtgo.ErrTokenSignatureInvalid) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid signature: %w", err)
+		}
+		if errors.Is(err, jwtgo.ErrTokenExpired) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("expired token: %w", err)
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("token validation failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if token == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nil jwk token")
 	}
-	validErr := token.Claims.Valid()
-	if validate && validErr != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("jwk token claim invalid: %v", validErr)
-	}
-	// NOTE: check if there was a parse error from above
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	if !token.Valid {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid jwk token")
 	}