diff --git a/samples/JS.Yarp/Startup.cs b/samples/JS.Yarp/Startup.cs
index ac9ba711..8ca4bcc1 100644
--- a/samples/JS.Yarp/Startup.cs
+++ b/samples/JS.Yarp/Startup.cs
@@ -52,7 +52,17 @@ public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
                         {
                             Path = "/anon_api/{**catch-all}"
                         }
-                    }.WithAntiforgeryCheck()
+                    }.WithAntiforgeryCheck(),
+                    new RouteConfig()
+                    {
+                        RouteId = "api_optional_user",
+                        ClusterId = "cluster1",
+
+                        Match = new()
+                        {
+                            Path = "/optional_user_api/{**catch-all}"
+                        }
+                    }.WithOptionalUserAccessToken().WithAntiforgeryCheck()
                 },
                 new[]
                 {
diff --git a/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/app.js b/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/app.js
index 345db46f..e6d16062 100644
--- a/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/app.js
+++ b/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/app.js
@@ -54,6 +54,20 @@ async function callUserToken() {
     }
 }
 
+async function callOptionalUserToken() {
+    var req = new Request("/optional_user_api", {
+        headers: new Headers({
+            'X-CSRF': '1'
+        })
+    })
+    var resp = await fetch(req);
+
+    log("API Result: " + resp.status);
+    if (resp.ok) {
+        showApi(await resp.json());
+    }
+}
+
 async function callClientToken() {
     var req = new Request("/client_api", {
         headers: new Headers({
@@ -88,6 +102,7 @@ document.querySelector(".login").addEventListener("click", login, false);
 document.querySelector(".logout").addEventListener("click", logout, false);
 
 document.querySelector(".call_user").addEventListener("click", callUserToken, false);
+document.querySelector(".call_optional_user").addEventListener("click", callOptionalUserToken, false);
 document.querySelector(".call_client").addEventListener("click", callClientToken, false);
 document.querySelector(".call_anon").addEventListener("click", callNoToken, false);
 
diff --git a/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/index.html b/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/index.html
index 4a4c1be6..9d9b2057 100644
--- a/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/index.html
+++ b/samples/JS.Yarp/wwwroot/index.html
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ <h1>YARP-first client</h1>
 
         <div class="row">
             <ul class="list-unstyled list-inline">
-                <li><a class="btn btn-primary" href="index.html">Home</a></li>
                 <li><button class="btn btn-default login">Login</button></li>
                 <li><button class="btn btn-primary call_user">Call YARP endpoint (user token)</button></li>
+                <li><button class="btn btn-primary call_optional_user">Call YARP endpoint (optional user token)</button></li>
                 <li><button class="btn btn-primary call_client">Call YARP endpoint (client token)</button></li>
                 <li><button class="btn btn-primary call_anon">Call YARP endpoint (no token)</button></li>
                 <li><button class="btn btn-info logout">Logout</button></li>
diff --git a/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/AccessTokenTransformProvider.cs b/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/AccessTokenTransformProvider.cs
index 71ad64eb..30f31089 100644
--- a/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/AccessTokenTransformProvider.cs
+++ b/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/AccessTokenTransformProvider.cs
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Duende.AccessTokenManagement;
+using Duende.Bff.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 using Yarp.ReverseProxy.Transforms;
@@ -18,6 +21,7 @@ namespace Duende.Bff.Yarp;
 public class AccessTokenTransformProvider : ITransformProvider
 {
     private readonly BffOptions _options;
+    private readonly ILogger<AccessTokenTransformProvider> _logger;
     private readonly ILoggerFactory _loggerFactory;
     private readonly IDPoPProofService _dPoPProofService;
 
@@ -25,11 +29,13 @@ public class AccessTokenTransformProvider : ITransformProvider
     /// ctor
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="options"></param>
+    /// <param name="logger"></param>
     /// <param name="loggerFactory"></param>
     /// <param name="dPoPProofService"></param>
-    public AccessTokenTransformProvider(IOptions<BffOptions> options, ILoggerFactory loggerFactory, IDPoPProofService dPoPProofService)
+    public AccessTokenTransformProvider(IOptions<BffOptions> options, ILogger<AccessTokenTransformProvider> logger, ILoggerFactory loggerFactory, IDPoPProofService dPoPProofService)
     {
         _options = options.Value;
+        _logger = logger;
         _loggerFactory = loggerFactory;
         _dPoPProofService = dPoPProofService;
     }
@@ -44,17 +50,17 @@ public void ValidateCluster(TransformClusterValidationContext context)
     {
     }
 
-    /// <inheritdoc />
-    public void Apply(TransformBuilderContext transformBuildContext)
+    private static bool GetMetadataValue(TransformBuilderContext transformBuildContext, string metadataName, [NotNullWhen(true)] out string? metadata)
     {
-        var routeValue = transformBuildContext.Route.Metadata?.GetValueOrDefault(Constants.Yarp.TokenTypeMetadata);
+        var routeValue = transformBuildContext.Route.Metadata?.GetValueOrDefault(metadataName);
         var clusterValue =
-            transformBuildContext.Cluster?.Metadata?.GetValueOrDefault(Constants.Yarp.TokenTypeMetadata);
+            transformBuildContext.Cluster?.Metadata?.GetValueOrDefault(metadataName);
 
         // no metadata
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(routeValue) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(clusterValue))
         {
-            return;
+            metadata = null;
+            return false;
         }
 
         var values = new HashSet<string>();
@@ -64,19 +70,51 @@ public void Apply(TransformBuilderContext transformBuildContext)
         if (values.Count > 1)
         {
             throw new ArgumentException(
-                "Mismatching Duende.Bff.Yarp.TokenType route or cluster metadata values found");
+                $"Mismatching {metadataName} route and cluster metadata values found");
         }
-            
-        if (!TokenType.TryParse(values.First(), true, out TokenType tokenType))
+        metadata = values.First();
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /// <inheritdoc />
+    public void Apply(TransformBuilderContext transformBuildContext)
+    {
+        TokenType tokenType;
+        bool optional;
+        if(GetMetadataValue(transformBuildContext, Constants.Yarp.OptionalUserTokenMetadata, out var optionalTokenMetadata))
+        {
+            if (GetMetadataValue(transformBuildContext, Constants.Yarp.TokenTypeMetadata, out var tokenTypeMetadata))
+            {
+                transformBuildContext.AddRequestTransform(ctx =>
+                {
+                    ctx.HttpContext.Response.StatusCode = 500;
+                    _logger.InvalidRouteConfiguration(transformBuildContext.Route.ClusterId, transformBuildContext.Route.RouteId);
+
+                    return ValueTask.CompletedTask;
+                });
+                return;
+            }
+            optional = true;
+            tokenType = TokenType.User;
+        } 
+        else if (GetMetadataValue(transformBuildContext, Constants.Yarp.TokenTypeMetadata, out var tokenTypeMetadata))
         {
-            throw new ArgumentException("Invalid value for Duende.Bff.Yarp.TokenType metadata");
+            optional = false;
+            if (!TokenType.TryParse(tokenTypeMetadata, true, out tokenType))
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException("Invalid value for Duende.Bff.Yarp.TokenType metadata");
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return;
         }
 
         transformBuildContext.AddRequestTransform(async transformContext =>
         {
             transformContext.HttpContext.CheckForBffMiddleware(_options);
 
-            var token = await transformContext.HttpContext.GetManagedAccessToken(tokenType);
+            var token = await transformContext.HttpContext.GetManagedAccessToken(tokenType, optional);
 
             var accessTokenTransform = new AccessTokenRequestTransform(
                 _dPoPProofService,
diff --git a/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/ProxyConfigExtensions.cs b/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/ProxyConfigExtensions.cs
index 4d0f5566..4373e4fb 100644
--- a/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/ProxyConfigExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/Duende.Bff.Yarp/ProxyConfigExtensions.cs
@@ -21,6 +21,18 @@ public static RouteConfig WithAccessToken(this RouteConfig config, TokenType tok
     {
         return config.WithMetadata(Constants.Yarp.TokenTypeMetadata, tokenType.ToString());
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Adds BFF access token metadata to a route configuration, indicating that 
+    /// the route should use the user access token if the user is authenticated,
+    /// but fall back to an anonymous request if not.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="config"></param>
+    /// <returns></returns>
+    public static RouteConfig WithOptionalUserAccessToken(this RouteConfig config)
+    {
+        return config.WithMetadata(Constants.Yarp.OptionalUserTokenMetadata, "true");
+    }
         
     /// <summary>
     /// Adds anti-forgery metadata to a route configuration
diff --git a/src/Duende.Bff/Constants.cs b/src/Duende.Bff/Constants.cs
index c5ece81c..88d87841 100644
--- a/src/Duende.Bff/Constants.cs
+++ b/src/Duende.Bff/Constants.cs
@@ -13,14 +13,19 @@ public static class Constants
     public static class Yarp
     {
         /// <summary>
-        /// Name of toke type metadata
+        /// Name of token type (User, Client, UserOrClient) metadata
         /// </summary>
         public const string TokenTypeMetadata = "Duende.Bff.Yarp.TokenType";
             
         /// <summary>
-        /// Name of toke type metadata
+        /// Name of Anti-forgery check metadata
         /// </summary>
         public const string AntiforgeryCheckMetadata = "Duende.Bff.Yarp.AntiforgeryCheck";
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Name of optional user token metadata
+        /// </summary>
+        public const string OptionalUserTokenMetadata = "Duende.Bff.Yarp.OptionalUserToken";
     }
         
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Duende.Bff/General/Log.cs b/src/Duende.Bff/General/Log.cs
index d526cc47..d8049bb2 100644
--- a/src/Duende.Bff/General/Log.cs
+++ b/src/Duende.Bff/General/Log.cs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ internal static class EventIds
     public static readonly EventId BackChannelLogout = new (2, "BackChannelLogout");
     public static readonly EventId BackChannelLogoutError = new (3, "BackChannelLogoutError");
     public static readonly EventId AccessTokenMissing = new (4, "AccessTokenMissing");
+    public static readonly EventId InvalidRouteConfiguration = new (5, "InvalidRouteConfiguration");
 }
     
 internal static class Log
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@ internal static class Log
         EventIds.AccessTokenMissing,
         "Access token is missing. token type: '{tokenType}', local path: '{localpath}', detail: '{detail}'");
 
+    private static readonly Action<ILogger, string, string, Exception?> _invalidRouteConfiguration = LoggerMessage.Define<string, string>(
+        LogLevel.Warning,
+        EventIds.InvalidRouteConfiguration,
+        "Invalid route configuration. Cannot combine a required access token (a call to WithAccessToken) and an optional access token (a call to WithOptionalUserAccessToken). clusterId: '{clusterId}', routeId: '{routeId}'");
 
     public static void AntiForgeryValidationFailed(this ILogger logger, string localPath)
     {
@@ -62,4 +67,9 @@ public static void AccessTokenMissing(this ILogger logger, string tokenType, str
     {
         _accessTokenMissing(logger, tokenType, localPath, detail, null);
     }
+
+    public static void InvalidRouteConfiguration(this ILogger logger, string? clusterId, string routeId)
+    {
+        _invalidRouteConfiguration(logger, clusterId ?? "no cluster id", routeId, null);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/Endpoints/YarpRemoteEndpointTests.cs b/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/Endpoints/YarpRemoteEndpointTests.cs
index b54448e9..3a2e7839 100644
--- a/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/Endpoints/YarpRemoteEndpointTests.cs
+++ b/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/Endpoints/YarpRemoteEndpointTests.cs
@@ -53,11 +53,30 @@ public async Task anonymous_call_to_user_token_requirement_route_should_fail()
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public async Task authenticated_GET_should_forward_user_to_api()
+        public async Task anonymous_call_to_optional_user_token_route_should_succeed()
+        {
+            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, BffHost.Url("/api_optional_user/test"));
+            req.Headers.Add("x-csrf", "1");
+            var response = await BffHost.BrowserClient.SendAsync(req);
+
+            response.IsSuccessStatusCode.Should().BeTrue();
+            response.Content.Headers.ContentType.MediaType.Should().Be("application/json");
+            var json = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+            var apiResult = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<ApiResponse>(json);
+            apiResult.Method.Should().Be("GET");
+            apiResult.Path.Should().Be("/api_optional_user/test");
+            apiResult.Sub.Should().BeNull();
+            apiResult.ClientId.Should().BeNull();
+        }
+
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData("/api_user/test")]
+        [InlineData("/api_optional_user/test")]
+        public async Task authenticated_GET_should_forward_user_to_api(string route)
         {
             await BffHost.BffLoginAsync("alice");
         
-            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, BffHost.Url("/api_user/test"));
+            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, BffHost.Url(route));
             req.Headers.Add("x-csrf", "1");
             var response = await BffHost.BrowserClient.SendAsync(req);
         
@@ -66,17 +85,19 @@ public async Task authenticated_GET_should_forward_user_to_api()
             var json = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
             var apiResult = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<ApiResponse>(json);
             apiResult.Method.Should().Be("GET");
-            apiResult.Path.Should().Be("/api_user/test");
+            apiResult.Path.Should().Be(route);
             apiResult.Sub.Should().Be("alice");
             apiResult.ClientId.Should().Be("spa");
         }
         
-        [Fact]
-        public async Task authenticated_PUT_should_forward_user_to_api()
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData("/api_user/test")]
+        [InlineData("/api_optional_user/test")]
+        public async Task authenticated_PUT_should_forward_user_to_api(string route)
         {
             await BffHost.BffLoginAsync("alice");
         
-            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Put, BffHost.Url("/api_user/test"));
+            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Put, BffHost.Url(route));
             req.Headers.Add("x-csrf", "1");
             var response = await BffHost.BrowserClient.SendAsync(req);
         
@@ -85,17 +106,19 @@ public async Task authenticated_PUT_should_forward_user_to_api()
             var json = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
             var apiResult = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<ApiResponse>(json);
             apiResult.Method.Should().Be("PUT");
-            apiResult.Path.Should().Be("/api_user/test");
+            apiResult.Path.Should().Be(route);
             apiResult.Sub.Should().Be("alice");
             apiResult.ClientId.Should().Be("spa");
         }
-        
-        [Fact]
-        public async Task authenticated_POST_should_forward_user_to_api()
+
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData("/api_user/test")]
+        [InlineData("/api_optional_user/test")]
+        public async Task authenticated_POST_should_forward_user_to_api(string route)
         {
             await BffHost.BffLoginAsync("alice");
         
-            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, BffHost.Url("/api_user/test"));
+            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, BffHost.Url(route));
             req.Headers.Add("x-csrf", "1");
             var response = await BffHost.BrowserClient.SendAsync(req);
         
@@ -104,7 +127,7 @@ public async Task authenticated_POST_should_forward_user_to_api()
             var json = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
             var apiResult = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<ApiResponse>(json);
             apiResult.Method.Should().Be("POST");
-            apiResult.Path.Should().Be("/api_user/test");
+            apiResult.Path.Should().Be(route);
             apiResult.Sub.Should().Be("alice");
             apiResult.ClientId.Should().Be("spa");
         }
@@ -189,5 +212,14 @@ public async Task response_status_403_from_remote_endpoint_should_return_403_fro
         
             response.StatusCode.Should().Be(HttpStatusCode.Forbidden);
         }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public async Task invalid_configuration_of_routes_should_return_500()
+        {
+            var req = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, BffHost.Url("/api_invalid/test"));
+            var response = await BffHost.BrowserClient.SendAsync(req);
+        
+            response.StatusCode.Should().Be(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/TestHosts/YarpBffHost.cs b/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/TestHosts/YarpBffHost.cs
index d7e87c32..77309206 100644
--- a/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/TestHosts/YarpBffHost.cs
+++ b/test/Duende.Bff.Tests/TestHosts/YarpBffHost.cs
@@ -101,6 +101,18 @@ private void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
                     }.WithAntiforgeryCheck()
                      .WithAccessToken(TokenType.User),
                     
+                    new RouteConfig()
+                    {
+                        RouteId = "api_optional_user",
+                        ClusterId = "cluster1",
+
+                        Match = new()
+                        {
+                            Path = "/api_optional_user/{**catch-all}"
+                        }
+                    }.WithAntiforgeryCheck()
+                     .WithOptionalUserAccessToken(),
+                    
                     new RouteConfig()
                         {
                             RouteId = "api_client",
@@ -123,7 +135,23 @@ private void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
                                 Path = "/api_user_or_client/{**catch-all}"
                             }
                         }.WithAntiforgeryCheck()
-                         .WithAccessToken(TokenType.UserOrClient)
+                         .WithAccessToken(TokenType.UserOrClient),
+                    
+                    // This route configuration is invalid. WithAccessToken says
+                    // that the access token is required, while
+                    // WithOptionalUserAccessToken says that it is optional.
+                    // Calling this endpoint results in a run time error.
+                    new RouteConfig()
+                        {
+                            RouteId = "api_invalid",
+                            ClusterId = "cluster1",
+
+                            Match = new()
+                            {
+                                Path = "/api_invalid/{**catch-all}"
+                            }
+                        }.WithOptionalUserAccessToken()
+                         .WithAccessToken(TokenType.User),
                 },
                 
                 new[]