diff --git a/descope/auth.py b/descope/auth.py
index 04c715259..eef5e1add 100644
--- a/descope/auth.py
+++ b/descope/auth.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def __init__(
                 raise AuthException(
                     400,
                     ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
-                    "Unable to init AuthHelper object because project_id cannot be empty. Set environment variable DESCOPE_PROJECT_ID or pass your Project ID to the init function.",
+                    "Unable to init Auth object because project_id cannot be empty. Set environment variable DESCOPE_PROJECT_ID or pass your Project ID to the init function.",
                 )
         self.project_id = project_id
 
@@ -220,8 +220,7 @@ def refresh_token(self, refresh_token: str) -> dict:
         response = self.do_get(uri, None, None, refresh_token)
 
         resp = response.json()
-        auth_info = self._generate_auth_info(resp, refresh_token)
-        return auth_info
+        return self._generate_auth_info(resp, refresh_token)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _compose_exchange_params(code: str) -> dict:
@@ -315,19 +314,14 @@ def _generate_auth_info(self, response_body: dict, refresh_token: str) -> dict:
         jwt_response = {}
         st_jwt = response_body.get("sessionJwt", "")
         if st_jwt:
-            jwt_response[SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_and_load_tokens(
-                st_jwt, None
-            )
+            jwt_response[SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_token(st_jwt)
         rt_jwt = response_body.get("refreshJwt", "")
-        if rt_jwt:
-            jwt_response[REFRESH_SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_and_load_tokens(
-                rt_jwt, None
-            )
-
         if refresh_token:
-            jwt_response[REFRESH_SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_and_load_tokens(
-                refresh_token, None
+            jwt_response[REFRESH_SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_token(
+                refresh_token
             )
+        elif rt_jwt:
+            jwt_response[REFRESH_SESSION_TOKEN_NAME] = self._validate_token(rt_jwt)
 
         jwt_response[COOKIE_DATA_NAME] = {
             "exp": response_body.get("cookieExpiration", 0),
@@ -365,16 +359,16 @@ def _get_default_headers(self, pswd: str = None):
         headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {bearer}"
         return headers
 
-    def _validate_and_load_tokens(self, session_token: str, refresh_token: str) -> dict:
-        if not session_token:
+    # Validate a token and load the public key if needed
+    def _validate_token(self, token: str) -> dict:
+        if not token:
             raise AuthException(
                 500,
                 ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN,
-                f"empty signed token: {session_token}",
+                "Token validation received empty token",
             )
-
         try:
-            unverified_header = jwt.get_unverified_header(session_token)
+            unverified_header = jwt.get_unverified_header(token)
         except Exception as e:
             raise AuthException(
                 500,
@@ -416,33 +410,52 @@ def _validate_and_load_tokens(self, session_token: str, refresh_token: str) -> d
                 ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_PUBLIC_KEY,
                 "Algorithm signature in JWT header does not match the algorithm signature in the public key",
             )
+        claims = jwt.decode(jwt=token, key=copy_key[0].key, algorithms=[alg_header])
+        claims["jwt"] = token
+        return claims
 
-        try:
-            claims = jwt.decode(
-                jwt=session_token, key=copy_key[0].key, algorithms=[alg_header]
+    def _validate_and_load_tokens(self, session_token: str, refresh_token: str) -> dict:
+        if not session_token and not refresh_token:
+            raise AuthException(
+                500,
+                ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN,
+                "Both refresh token and session token are empty",
             )
 
-            claims["jwt"] = session_token
-            return claims
-
-        except ExpiredSignatureError:
-            # Session token expired, check that refresh token is valid
+        if session_token:
             try:
-                jwt.decode(
-                    jwt=refresh_token,
-                    key=copy_key[0].key,
-                    algorithms=[alg_header],
-                )
+                return self._validate_token(session_token)
+            except ExpiredSignatureError:
+                # Session token expired, check that refresh token is valid
+                if refresh_token:
+                    try:
+                        self._validate_token(refresh_token)
+                    except Exception as e:
+                        raise AuthException(
+                            401, ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN, f"Invalid refresh token: {e}"
+                        )
+                else:
+                    raise AuthException(
+                        401,
+                        ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN,
+                        "Session token expired and no refresh token provided",
+                    )
+                # Refresh token is valid now refresh the session token
+                return self.refresh_token(refresh_token)  # return jwt_response dict
             except Exception as e:
                 raise AuthException(
-                    401, ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN, f"Invalid refresh token: {e}"
+                    500, ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN, f"Invalid token: {e}"
                 )
 
-            # Refresh token is valid now refresh the session token
-            return self.refresh_token(refresh_token)  # return jwt_response dict
-
+        # If we got here, we did not have a session token so only do the refresh
+        try:
+            self._validate_token(refresh_token)
         except Exception as e:
-            raise AuthException(500, ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN, f"Invalid token: {e}")
+            raise AuthException(
+                401, ERROR_TYPE_INVALID_TOKEN, f"Invalid refresh token: {e}"
+            )
+        # Refresh token is valid now refresh the session token
+        return self.refresh_token(refresh_token)  # return jwt_response dict
 
     @staticmethod
     def _compose_refresh_token_url() -> str:
diff --git a/descope/descope_client.py b/descope/descope_client.py
index 384e7c7d3..e66aeeaea 100644
--- a/descope/descope_client.py
+++ b/descope/descope_client.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ def validate_session_request(self, session_token: str, refresh_token: str) -> di
         """
         Validate the session for a given request. If the user is authenticated but the
             session has expired, the session token will automatically be refreshed.
+        Either the session_token or the refresh_token must be provided.
         Call this function every time you make a private API call that requires an authorized
             user.