diff --git a/terraso_backend/apps/auth/middleware.py b/terraso_backend/apps/auth/middleware.py
index 5cc8fa00d..cd913ca6a 100644
--- a/terraso_backend/apps/auth/middleware.py
+++ b/terraso_backend/apps/auth/middleware.py
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ def _get_user_from_jwt(self, request):
         except InvalidTokenError as e:
             logger.exception("Failure to verify JWT token", extra={"token": token})
             raise ValidationError(f"Invalid JWT token: {e}")
+        except ValueError as e:
+            logger.exception("Not valid JWT token type", extra={"token": token})
+            raise ValidationError(f"Invalid JWT token: {e}")
 
         user = self._get_user(decoded_payload["sub"])
 
diff --git a/terraso_backend/apps/auth/services.py b/terraso_backend/apps/auth/services.py
index 37ef30c90..640ac64e6 100644
--- a/terraso_backend/apps/auth/services.py
+++ b/terraso_backend/apps/auth/services.py
@@ -155,7 +155,11 @@ def create_access_token(self, user):
 
     def verify_access_token(self, token):
         decoded = self._verify_token(token)
-        if not decoded["access"] or not decoded["exp"]:
+        is_access_token = decoded.get("access", False)
+        is_test_token = decoded.get("test", False)
+        has_expiration = decoded.get("exp", False)
+        can_access = is_access_token and (has_expiration or is_test_token)
+        if not can_access:
             raise ValueError("Token is not an access token")
         return decoded
 
diff --git a/terraso_backend/tests/auth/test_access_tokens.py b/terraso_backend/tests/auth/test_access_tokens.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f93b2f97a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraso_backend/tests/auth/test_access_tokens.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Copyright © 2021-2023 Technology Matters
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+# by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
+import pytest
+from graphene_django.utils.testing import graphql_query
+
+from apps.auth.services import JWTService
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def user(users):
+    return users[0]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def access_token(user):
+    return JWTService().create_access_token(user)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_access_token(user):
+    return JWTService().create_test_access_token(user)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def invalid_access_token(user):
+    return JWTService().create_token(user)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def token_client_query(client):
+    def _client_query(token, *args, **kwargs):
+        headers = {
+            "CONTENT_TYPE": "application/json",
+            "HTTP_AUTHORIZATION": f"Bearer {token}",
+        }
+        return graphql_query(*args, **kwargs, headers=headers, client=client)
+
+    return _client_query
+
+
+def execute_query(token_client_query, user, token):
+    query = (
+        """
+        {users(email: "%s") {
+            edges {
+            node {
+                email
+            }
+            }
+        }}
+        """
+        % user.email
+    )
+    response = token_client_query(token, query)
+    return response.json()
+
+
+def test_access_token_valid(token_client_query, user, access_token):
+    response = execute_query(token_client_query, user, access_token)
+    user_result = response["data"]["users"]["edges"][0]["node"]
+    assert user_result["email"] == user.email
+
+
+def test_test_access_token_valid(token_client_query, user, test_access_token):
+    response = execute_query(token_client_query, user, test_access_token)
+    user_result = response["data"]["users"]["edges"][0]["node"]
+    assert user_result["email"] == user.email
+
+
+def test_access_token_invalid(token_client_query, user, invalid_access_token):
+    response = execute_query(token_client_query, user, invalid_access_token)
+    assert response["error"] == "Unauthorized request"