diff --git a/backend/app/api/deps.py b/backend/app/api/deps.py
index 5f28ec692a..d722d31d78 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/deps.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/deps.py
@@ -30,7 +30,12 @@ def get_db() -> Generator[Session]:
 def get_current_user(session: SessionDep, token: TokenDep) -> User:
     try:
         payload = jwt.decode(
-            token, settings.SECRET_KEY, algorithms=[security.ALGORITHM]
+            token,
+            settings.SECRET_KEY,
+            algorithms=[security.ALGORITHM],
+            # Require an explicit expiry so a token signed with the (now
+            # fail-closed) key can never be accepted without a lifetime bound.
+            options={"require": ["exp"]},
         )
         token_data = TokenPayload(**payload)
     except InvalidTokenError, ValidationError:
diff --git a/backend/app/utils.py b/backend/app/utils.py
index d59aefc7bf..36d229dbeb 100644
--- a/backend/app/utils.py
+++ b/backend/app/utils.py
@@ -118,7 +118,12 @@ def generate_password_reset_token(email: str) -> str:
 def verify_password_reset_token(token: str) -> str | None:
     try:
         decoded_token = jwt.decode(
-            token, settings.SECRET_KEY, algorithms=[security.ALGORITHM]
+            token,
+            settings.SECRET_KEY,
+            algorithms=[security.ALGORITHM],
+            # Require the expiry claim so an unexpired reset token can never be
+            # replayed indefinitely if one is minted without a lifetime bound.
+            options={"require": ["exp"]},
         )
         return str(decoded_token["sub"])
     except InvalidTokenError:
diff --git a/backend/tests/api/routes/test_jwt_claims.py b/backend/tests/api/routes/test_jwt_claims.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..412023e5bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/api/routes/test_jwt_claims.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+"""Tests asserting JWTs are rejected when they lack a required `exp` claim.
+
+Companion hardening for the shipped-default-secret finding: even once the
+signing key is fail-closed, a token that carries no expiry should never be
+accepted. These tests mint tokens with the application's own key and assert that
+access-token and password-reset verification both require `exp`.
+"""
+
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
+
+import jwt
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+from app.core import security
+from app.core.config import settings
+from app.utils import verify_password_reset_token
+from tests.utils.utils import random_email
+
+
+def _encode(claims: dict, *, key: str | None = None) -> str:
+    return jwt.encode(
+        claims,
+        key or settings.SECRET_KEY,
+        algorithm=security.ALGORITHM,
+    )
+
+
+def test_access_token_without_exp_is_rejected(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    # Locate the superuser id from a valid session first.
+    me = client.get(f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me", headers=superuser_token_headers)
+    assert me.status_code == 200
+    superuser_id = me.json()["id"]
+
+    # A correctly signed token that omits `exp` must not authenticate.
+    token_without_exp = _encode({"sub": superuser_id})
+    r = client.get(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me",
+        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {token_without_exp}"},
+    )
+    assert r.status_code in (401, 403)
+
+
+def test_access_token_with_exp_is_accepted(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    me = client.get(f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me", headers=superuser_token_headers)
+    assert me.status_code == 200
+    superuser_id = me.json()["id"]
+
+    exp = datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(minutes=30)
+    token_with_exp = _encode({"sub": superuser_id, "exp": exp})
+    r = client.get(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me",
+        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {token_with_exp}"},
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_password_reset_token_requires_exp() -> None:
+    email = random_email()
+    assert verify_password_reset_token(_encode({"sub": email})) is None
+
+    exp = datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(hours=1)
+    assert verify_password_reset_token(_encode({"sub": email, "exp": exp})) == email
+
+
+def test_token_signed_with_wrong_key_is_rejected(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    me = client.get(f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me", headers=superuser_token_headers)
+    assert me.status_code == 200
+    superuser_id = me.json()["id"]
+
+    # Even with an `exp`, a token signed with the wrong key must fail.
+    exp = datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(minutes=30)
+    forged = _encode({"sub": superuser_id, "exp": exp}, key="not-the-real-key")
+    r = client.get(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me",
+        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {forged}"},
+    )
+    assert r.status_code in (401, 403)