diff --git a/bascule/basculehttp/constructor.go b/bascule/basculehttp/constructor.go
index a30b64e..b004172 100644
--- a/bascule/basculehttp/constructor.go
+++ b/bascule/basculehttp/constructor.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (c *constructor) decorate(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Log(level.Key(), level.ErrorValue(), bascule.ErrorKey, err.Error(), "key", key,
 				"auth", authorization[i+1:])
-			WriteResponse(response, http.StatusUnauthorized, err)
+			WriteResponse(response, http.StatusForbidden, err)
 			return
 		}
 
diff --git a/bascule/basculehttp/constructor_test.go b/bascule/basculehttp/constructor_test.go
index 94bbae8..f87b90c 100644
--- a/bascule/basculehttp/constructor_test.go
+++ b/bascule/basculehttp/constructor_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestConstructor(t *testing.T) {
 			constructor:        c,
 			requestHeaderKey:   testHeader,
 			requestHeaderValue: "Basic AFJDK",
-			expectedStatusCode: http.StatusUnauthorized,
+			expectedStatusCode: http.StatusForbidden,
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {
diff --git a/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer.go b/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer.go
index d0627b2..7be09ab 100644
--- a/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer.go
+++ b/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func (e *enforcer) decorate(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 					}
 				}
 				logger.Log(append(emperror.Context(err), level.Key(), level.ErrorValue(), bascule.ErrorKey, errs)...)
-				WriteResponse(response, http.StatusUnauthorized, err)
+				WriteResponse(response, http.StatusForbidden, err)
 				return
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer_test.go b/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer_test.go
index 37a2f9c..eeec86f 100644
--- a/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer_test.go
+++ b/bascule/basculehttp/enforcer_test.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func TestEnforcer(t *testing.T) {
 				Authorization: "jwt",
 				Token:         bascule.NewToken("", "", bascule.Attributes{}),
 			},
-			expectedStatusCode: http.StatusUnauthorized,
+			expectedStatusCode: http.StatusForbidden,
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tests {