diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/Auth0AuthenticationModule.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/Auth0AuthenticationModule.java
index 8b871ac1..25923209 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/Auth0AuthenticationModule.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/Auth0AuthenticationModule.java
@@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
             // decode the accessToken and make sure it is not expired //
             ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             boolean needNewToken = true;
-            if(accessToken != null)
+            if(StringUtils.hasContent(accessToken))
             {
                DecodedJWT jwt     = JWT.decode(accessToken);
                String     payload = jwt.getPayload();