diff --git a/account_claims.go b/account_claims.go
index 945bd98..dd75188 100644
--- a/account_claims.go
+++ b/account_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018-2019 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ type Account struct {
 	Limits      OperatorLimits `json:"limits,omitempty"`
 	SigningKeys StringList     `json:"signing_keys,omitempty"`
 	Revocations RevocationList `json:"revocations,omitempty"`
+	NatsStandard
 }
 
 // Validate checks if the account is valid, based on the wrapper
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ func (a *AccountClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	}
 	sort.Sort(a.Exports)
 	sort.Sort(a.Imports)
-	a.ClaimsData.Type = AccountClaim
+	a.Type = AccountClaim
 	return a.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, a)
 }
 
diff --git a/activation_claims.go b/activation_claims.go
index 99228a7..a171942 100644
--- a/activation_claims.go
+++ b/activation_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ type Activation struct {
 	ImportSubject Subject    `json:"subject,omitempty"`
 	ImportType    ExportType `json:"type,omitempty"`
 	Limits
+	NatsStandard
 }
 
 // IsService returns true if an Activation is for a service
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func (a *ActivationClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	if !nkeys.IsValidPublicAccountKey(a.ClaimsData.Subject) {
 		return "", errors.New("expected subject to be an account")
 	}
-	a.ClaimsData.Type = ActivationClaim
+	a.Type = ActivationClaim
 	return a.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, a)
 }
 
diff --git a/claims.go b/claims.go
index d402bcc..7238f5c 100644
--- a/claims.go
+++ b/claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018-2019 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -59,16 +59,20 @@ type Claims interface {
 
 // ClaimsData is the base struct for all claims
 type ClaimsData struct {
-	Audience  string    `json:"aud,omitempty"`
-	Expires   int64     `json:"exp,omitempty"`
-	ID        string    `json:"jti,omitempty"`
-	IssuedAt  int64     `json:"iat,omitempty"`
-	Issuer    string    `json:"iss,omitempty"`
-	Name      string    `json:"name,omitempty"`
-	NotBefore int64     `json:"nbf,omitempty"`
-	Subject   string    `json:"sub,omitempty"`
-	Tags      TagList   `json:"tags,omitempty"`
-	Type      ClaimType `json:"type,omitempty"`
+	Audience  string `json:"aud,omitempty"`
+	Expires   int64  `json:"exp,omitempty"`
+	ID        string `json:"jti,omitempty"`
+	IssuedAt  int64  `json:"iat,omitempty"`
+	Issuer    string `json:"iss,omitempty"`
+	Name      string `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	NotBefore int64  `json:"nbf,omitempty"`
+	Subject   string `json:"sub,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// NatsStandard contains fields shared by all NATS JWTs
+type NatsStandard struct {
+	Tags TagList   `json:"tags,omitempty"`
+	Type ClaimType `json:"type,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Prefix holds the prefix byte for an NKey
diff --git a/cluster_claims.go b/cluster_claims.go
index bbfcf06..0706185 100644
--- a/cluster_claims.go
+++ b/cluster_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type Cluster struct {
 	Accounts    []string `json:"accts,omitempty"`
 	AccountURL  string   `json:"accturl,omitempty"`
 	OperatorURL string   `json:"opurl,omitempty"`
+	NatsStandard
 }
 
 // Validate checks the cluster and permissions for a cluster JWT
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ func (c *ClusterClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	if !nkeys.IsValidPublicClusterKey(c.Subject) {
 		return "", errors.New("expected subject to be a cluster public key")
 	}
-	c.ClaimsData.Type = ClusterClaim
+	c.Type = ClusterClaim
 	return c.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, c)
 }
 
diff --git a/genericlaims.go b/genericlaims.go
index 94cd86e..0d1295f 100644
--- a/genericlaims.go
+++ b/genericlaims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import "github.com/nats-io/nkeys"
 // GenericClaims can be used to read a JWT as a map for any non-generic fields
 type GenericClaims struct {
 	ClaimsData
+	NatsStandard
 	Data map[string]interface{} `json:"nats,omitempty"`
 }
 
@@ -40,6 +41,15 @@ func DecodeGeneric(token string) (*GenericClaims, error) {
 	if err := Decode(token, &v); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	ct, ok := v.Data["type"].(string)
+	if ok {
+		v.Type = ClaimType(ct)
+	}
+	tl, ok := v.Data["tags"].(TagList)
+	if ok {
+		v.Tags = tl
+	}
+
 	return &v, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/operator_claims.go b/operator_claims.go
index 6a99597..e54f26f 100644
--- a/operator_claims.go
+++ b/operator_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 // Operator specific claims
 type Operator struct {
+	NatsStandard
 	// Slice of real identies (like websites) that can be used to identify the operator.
 	Identities []Identity `json:"identity,omitempty"`
 	// Slice of other operator NKeys that can be used to sign on behalf of the main
@@ -112,15 +113,15 @@ func ValidateOperatorServiceURL(v string) error {
 }
 
 func (o *Operator) validateOperatorServiceURLs() []error {
-	var errors []error
+	var errs []error
 	for _, v := range o.OperatorServiceURLs {
 		if v != "" {
 			if err := ValidateOperatorServiceURL(v); err != nil {
-				errors = append(errors, err)
+				errs = append(errs, err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return errors
+	return errs
 }
 
 // OperatorClaims define the data for an operator JWT
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@ func (oc *OperatorClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	oc.ClaimsData.Type = OperatorClaim
+	oc.Type = OperatorClaim
 	return oc.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, oc)
 }
 
diff --git a/operator_claims_test.go b/operator_claims_test.go
index 73cae23..034e7cf 100644
--- a/operator_claims_test.go
+++ b/operator_claims_test.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func TestSigningKeyValidation(t *testing.T) {
 
 	uc := NewOperatorClaims(publicKey(ckp, t))
 	uc.Expires = time.Now().Add(time.Duration(time.Hour)).Unix()
-	uc.AddSigningKey(publicKey(ckp2, t))
+	uc.SigningKeys.Add(publicKey(ckp2, t))
 	uJwt := encode(uc, ckp, t)
 
 	uc2, err := DecodeOperatorClaims(uJwt)
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func TestSigningKeyValidation(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("valid operator key should have no validation issues")
 	}
 
-	uc.AddSigningKey("") // add an invalid one
+	uc.SigningKeys.Add("") // add an invalid one
 
 	vr = &ValidationResults{}
 	uc.Validate(vr)
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ func TestSignedBy(t *testing.T) {
 
 	AssertEquals(uc.DidSign(ac), false, t) // no signing key
 	AssertEquals(uc2.DidSign(ac), true, t) // actual key
-	uc.AddSigningKey(publicKey(ckp2, t))
+	uc.SigningKeys.Add(publicKey(ckp2, t))
 	AssertEquals(uc.DidSign(ac), true, t) // signing key
 
 	clusterKey := createClusterNKey(t)
@@ -352,3 +352,18 @@ func Test_OperatorServiceURL(t *testing.T) {
 	errs := vr.Errors()
 	AssertEquals(len(errs), shouldFail, t)
 }
+
+func Test_OperatorCompatibility(t *testing.T) {
+	token := "eyJ0eXAiOiJqd3QiLCJhbGciOiJlZDI1NTE5In0.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.aMRYSQJ8NEcH0j_7iLLgrtycMA5n1aiUftBe0kO9Ed6A1Jm8cxItDOMqV2qO3EixDDukHuFIhvgMg-fmsd44Ag"
+	_, err := DecodeOperatorClaims(token)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	gc, err := DecodeGeneric(token)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if gc.Type != "operator" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q to be 'operator'", gc.Type)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/server_claims.go b/server_claims.go
index c18f167..9e1eb24 100644
--- a/server_claims.go
+++ b/server_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 type Server struct {
 	Permissions
 	Cluster string `json:"cluster,omitempty"`
+	NatsStandard
 }
 
 // Validate checks the cluster and permissions for a server JWT
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ func (s *ServerClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	if !nkeys.IsValidPublicServerKey(s.Subject) {
 		return "", errors.New("expected subject to be a server public key")
 	}
-	s.ClaimsData.Type = ServerClaim
+	s.Type = ServerClaim
 	return s.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, s)
 }
 
diff --git a/user_claims.go b/user_claims.go
index 78fe6a9..a889667 100644
--- a/user_claims.go
+++ b/user_claims.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2018-2019 The NATS Authors
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The NATS Authors
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type User struct {
 	Permissions
 	Limits
 	BearerToken bool `json:"bearer_token,omitempty"`
+	NatsStandard
 }
 
 // Validate checks the permissions and limits in a User jwt
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ func (u *UserClaims) Encode(pair nkeys.KeyPair) (string, error) {
 	if !nkeys.IsValidPublicUserKey(u.Subject) {
 		return "", errors.New("expected subject to be user public key")
 	}
-	u.ClaimsData.Type = UserClaim
+	u.Type = UserClaim
 	return u.ClaimsData.Encode(pair, u)
 }