diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8b3d5ea..e6e3906 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,13 +43,22 @@ keyfetch.oidcJwks("https://example.com/").then(function (results) {
 });
 ```
 
-Quick JWT verification:
+Quick JWT verification (for authentication):
 
 ```js
 var keyfetch = require('keyfetch');
 var jwt = '...';
 
-keyfetch.verify({ jwt: jwt }).then(function (decoded) {
+keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt).then(function (decoded) {
+  console.log(decoded);
+});
+```
+
+JWT verification (for authorization):
+
+```js
+var options = { issuers: ['https://example.com/'], claims: { role: 'admin' } };
+keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, options).then(function (decoded) {
   console.log(decoded);
 });
 ```
@@ -74,7 +83,7 @@ keyfetch.oidcJwk(
   console.log(result.thumprint);
   console.log(result.pem);
 
-  jwt.verify(jwt, pem);
+  jwt.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: result.jwk });
 });
 ```
 
@@ -147,12 +156,81 @@ keyfetch.oidcJwk(id, issuerUrl)
 
 ### Verify JWT
 
+This can accept a _JWT string_ (compact JWS) or a _decoded JWT object_ (JWS).
+
+This can be used purely for verifying pure authentication tokens, as well as authorization tokens.
+
 ```js
-keyfetch.verify({ jwt: jwk, strategy: 'oidc' })
-// Promises a decoded JWT { headers, payload, signature } or fails
+keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { strategy: 'oidc' }).then(function (verified) {
+  /*
+    { protected: '...'  // base64 header
+    , payload: '...'    // base64 payload
+    , signature: '...'  // base64 signature
+    , header: {...}     // decoded header
+    , claims: {...}     // decoded payload
+    }
+  */
+});
+```
+
+When used for authorization, it's important to specify which `issuers` are allowed
+(otherwise anyone can create a valid token with whatever any claims they want).
+
+If your authorization `claims` can be expressed as exact string matches, you can specify those too.
+
+```js
+keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, {
+  strategy: 'oidc'
+, issuers: [ 'https://example.com/' ]
+, claims: { role: 'admin', sub: 'abc', group: 'xyz' }
+}).then(function (verified) {
+
 ```
 
 * `strategy` may be `oidc` (default) , `auth0`, or a direct JWKs url.
+* `issuers` must be a list of https urls (though http is allowed for things like Docker swarm)
+* `claims` is an object with arbitrary keys (i.e. everything except for the standard `iat`, `exp`, `jti`, etc)
+* `exp` may be set to `false` if you're validating on your own (i.e. allowing time drift leeway)
+* `jwks` can be used to specify a list of allowed public key rather than fetching them (i.e. for offline unit tests)
+* `jwk` same as above, but a single key rather than a list
+
+### Decode JWT
+
+```jwt
+try {
+  console.log( keyfetch.jwt.decode(jwt) );
+} catch(e) {
+  console.error(e);
+}
+```
+
+```js
+{ protected: '...'  // base64 header
+, payload: '...'    // base64 payload
+, signature: '...'  // base64 signature
+, header: {...}     // decoded header
+, claims: {...}     // decoded payload
+```
+
+It's easier just to show the code than to explain the example.
+
+```js
+keyfetch.jwt.decode = function (jwt) {
+  // Unpack JWS from "compact" form
+  var parts = jwt.split('.');
+  var obj = {
+    protected: parts[0]
+  , payload: parts[1]
+  , signature: parts[2]
+  };
+
+  // Decode JWT properties from JWS as unordered objects
+  obj.header = JSON.parse(Buffer.from(obj.protected, 'base64'));
+  obj.claims = JSON.parse(Buffer.from(obj.payload, 'base64'));
+
+  return obj;
+};
+```
 
 ### Cache Settings
 
diff --git a/keyfetch-test.js b/keyfetch-test.js
index 55ad7f1..4a53ff0 100644
--- a/keyfetch-test.js
+++ b/keyfetch-test.js
@@ -6,19 +6,71 @@ var testIss = "https://example.auth0.com";
 keyfetch.init({});
 keyfetch.oidcJwks(testIss).then(function (hits) {
   keyfetch._clear();
-  console.log(hits);
+  //console.log(hits);
   return keyfetch.oidcJwk(hits[0].thumbprint, testIss).then(function () {
-    return keyfetch.oidcJwk(hits[0].thumbprint, testIss).then(function (jwk) {
-      console.log(jwk);
+    return keyfetch.oidcJwk(hits[0].thumbprint, testIss).then(function (/*jwk*/) {
+      //console.log(jwk);
     });
   });
+}).then(function () {
+  console.log("Fetching PASSES");
 }).catch(function (err) {
+  console.error("NONE SHALL PASS!");
   console.error(err);
+  process.exit(1);
 });
 
+/*global Promise*/
+var keypairs = require('keypairs.js');
+keypairs.generate().then(function (pair) {
+  return keypairs.signJwt({
+    jwk: pair.private, iss: 'https://example.com/', sub: 'mikey', exp: '1h'
+  }).then(function (jwt) {
+    return Promise.all([
+      keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public }).then(function (verified) {
+        if (!(verified.claims && verified.claims.exp)) {
+          throw new Error("malformed decoded token");
+        }
+      })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(keyfetch.jwt.decode(jwt), { jwk: pair.public }).then(function (verified) {
+        if (!(verified.claims && verified.claims.exp)) {
+          throw new Error("malformed decoded token");
+        }
+      })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwks: [pair.public] })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['https://example.com/'] })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['https://example.com'] })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['*'] })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['http://example.com'] })
+        .then(e("bad scheme")).catch(throwIfNotExpected)
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['https://www.example.com'] })
+        .then(e("bad prefix")).catch(throwIfNotExpected)
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['https://wexample.com'] })
+        .then(e("bad sld")).catch(throwIfNotExpected)
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, issuers: ['https://example.comm'] })
+        .then(e("bad tld")).catch(throwIfNotExpected)
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, claims: { iss: 'https://example.com/' } })
+    , keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, { jwk: pair.public, claims: { iss: 'https://example.com' } })
+        .then(e("inexact claim")).catch(throwIfNotExpected)
+    ]).then(function () {
+      console.log("JWT PASSES");
+    }).catch(function (err) {
+      console.error("NONE SHALL PASS!");
+      console.error(err);
+      process.exit(1);
+    });
+  });
+});
 /*
 var jwt = '...';
 keyfetch.verify({ jwt: jwt }).catch(function (err) {
   console.log(err);
 });
 */
+
+function e(msg) {
+  return new Error("ETEST: " + msg);
+}
+function throwIfNotExpected(err) {
+  if ("ETEST" === err.message.slice(0, 5)) { throw err; }
+}
diff --git a/keyfetch.js b/keyfetch.js
index b1cb6a3..b4a95b5 100644
--- a/keyfetch.js
+++ b/keyfetch.js
@@ -202,45 +202,116 @@ function normalizeIss(iss) {
   }
   return iss.replace(/\/$/, '');
 }
-keyfetch._decode = function (jwt) {
+
+keyfetch.jwt = {};
+keyfetch.jwt.decode = function (jwt) {
   var parts = jwt.split('.');
-  return {
-    header: JSON.parse(Buffer.from(parts[0], 'base64'))
-  , payload: JSON.parse(Buffer.from(parts[1], 'base64'))
-  , signature: parts[2] //Buffer.from(parts[2], 'base64')
+  // JWS
+  var obj = {
+    protected: parts[0]
+  , payload: parts[1]
+  , signature: parts[2]
   };
+  // JWT
+  obj.header = JSON.parse(Buffer.from(obj.protected, 'base64'));
+  obj.claims = JSON.parse(Buffer.from(obj.payload, 'base64'));
+  return obj;
 };
-keyfetch.verify = function (opts) {
-  var jwt = opts.jwt;
+keyfetch.jwt.verify = function (jwt, opts) {
+  if (!opts) { opts = {}; }
   return Promise.resolve().then(function () {
     var decoded;
     var exp;
     var nbf;
-    var valid;
-    try {
-      decoded = keyfetch._decode(jwt);
-      exp = decoded.payload.exp;
-      nbf = decoded.payload.nbf;
-    } catch (e) {
-      throw new Error("could not parse opts.jwt: '" + jwt + "'");
+    var active;
+    var issuers = opts.issuers || ['*'];
+    var claims = opts.claims || {};
+    if (!jwt || 'string' === typeof jwt) {
+      try { decoded = keyfetch.jwt.decode(jwt); }
+      catch (e) { throw new Error("could not parse jwt: '" + jwt + "'"); }
+    } else {
+      decoded = jwt;
     }
-    if (exp) {
-      valid = (parseInt(exp, 10) - (Date.now()/1000) > 0);
-      if (!valid) {
+    exp = decoded.claims.exp;
+    nbf = decoded.claims.nbf;
+
+    if (!issuers.some(isTrustedIssuer(decoded.claims.iss))) {
+      throw new Error("token was issued by an untrusted issuer: '" + decoded.claims.iss + "'");
+    }
+    // TODO verify claims also?
+    if (!Object.keys(claims).every(function (key) {
+      if (claims[key] === decoded.claims[key]) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    })) {
+      throw new Error("token did not match on one or more authorization claims: '" + Object.keys(claims) + "'");
+    }
+
+    active = ((opts.exp || 0) + parseInt(exp, 10) - (Date.now()/1000) > 0);
+    if (!active) {
+      // expiration was on the token or, if not, such a token is not allowed
+      if (exp || false !== opts.exp) {
         throw new Error("token's 'exp' has passed or could not parsed: '" + exp + "'");
       }
     }
     if (nbf) {
-      valid = (parseInt(nbf, 10) - (Date.now()/1000) <= 0);
-      if (!valid) {
+      active = (parseInt(nbf, 10) - (Date.now()/1000) <= 0);
+      if (!active) {
         throw new Error("token's 'nbf' has not been reached or could not parsed: '" + nbf + "'");
       }
     }
-
     if (opts.jwks || opts.jwk) {
       return overrideLookup(opts.jwks || [opts.jwk]);
     }
 
+    var kid = decoded.header.kid;
+    var iss;
+    var fetcher;
+    var fetchOne;
+    if (!opts.strategy || 'oidc' === opts.strategy) {
+      iss = decoded.claims.iss;
+      fetcher = keyfetch.oidcJwks;
+      fetchOne = keyfetch.oidcJwk;
+    } else if ('auth0' === opts.strategy || 'well-known' === opts.strategy) {
+      iss = decoded.claims.iss;
+      fetcher = keyfetch.wellKnownJwks;
+      fetchOne = keyfetch.wellKnownJwk;
+    } else {
+      iss = opts.strategy;
+      fetcher = keyfetch.jwks;
+      fetchOne = keyfetch.jwk;
+    }
+
+    var p;
+    if (kid) {
+      p = fetchOne(kid, iss).then(verifyOne); //.catch(fetchAny);
+    } else {
+      p = fetcher(iss).then(verifyAny);
+    }
+    return p;
+
+    function verifyOne(hit) {
+      if (true === keyfetch.jws.verify(decoded, hit)) {
+        return decoded;
+      }
+      throw new Error('token signature verification was unsuccessful');
+    }
+
+    function verifyAny(hits) {
+      if (hits.some(function (hit) {
+        if (kid) {
+          if (kid !== hit.jwk.kid && kid !== hit.thumbprint) { return; }
+          if (true === keyfetch.jws.verify(decoded, hit)) { return true; }
+          throw new Error('token signature verification was unsuccessful');
+        } else {
+          if (true === keyfetch.jws.verify(decoded, hit)) { return true; }
+        }
+      })) {
+        return decoded;
+      }
+      throw new Error("Retrieved a list of keys, but none of them matched the 'kid' (key id) of the token.");
+    }
+
     function overrideLookup(jwks) {
       return Promise.all(jwks.map(function (jwk) {
         var Keypairs = jwk.x ? Eckles : Rasha;
@@ -251,63 +322,28 @@ keyfetch.verify = function (opts) {
         });
       })).then(verifyAny);
     }
+  });
+};
+keyfetch.jws = {};
+keyfetch.jws.verify = function (jws, pub) {
+  var alg = 'SHA' + jws.header.alg.replace(/[^\d]+/i, '');
+  var sig = ecdsaAsn1SigToJwtSig(jws.header, jws.signature);
+  return require('crypto')
+    .createVerify(alg)
+    .update(jws.protected + '.' + jws.payload)
+    .verify(pub.pem, sig, 'base64')
+  ;
+};
 
-    var kid = decoded.header.kid;
-    var iss;
-    var fetcher;
-    var fetchOne;
-    if (!opts.strategy || 'oidc' === opts.strategy) {
-      iss = decoded.payload.iss;
-      fetcher = keyfetch.oidcJwks;
-      fetchOne = keyfetch.oidcJwk;
-    } else if ('auth0' === opts.strategy || 'well-known' === opts.strategy) {
-      iss = decoded.payload.iss;
-      fetcher = keyfetch.wellKnownJwks;
-      fetchOne = keyfetch.wellKnownJwk;
-    } else {
-      iss = opts.strategy;
-      fetcher = keyfetch.jwks;
-      fetchOne = keyfetch.jwk;
-    }
-
-    var payload = jwt.split('.')[1]; // as string, as it was signed
-    if (kid) {
-      return fetchOne(kid, iss).then(verifyOne); //.catch(fetchAny);
-    } else {
-      return fetcher(iss).then(verifyAny);
-    }
-
-    function verify(hit, payload) {
-      var alg = 'SHA' + decoded.header.alg.replace(/[^\d]+/i, '');
-      var sig = ecdsaAsn1SigToJwtSig(decoded.header, decoded.signature);
-      return require('crypto')
-        .createVerify(alg)
-        .update(jwt.split('.')[0] + '.' + payload)
-        .verify(hit.pem, sig, 'base64')
-      ;
-    }
-
-    function verifyOne(hit) {
-      if (true === verify(hit, payload)) {
-        return decoded;
-      }
-      throw new Error('token signature verification was unsuccessful');
-    }
-
-    function verifyAny(hits) {
-      if (hits.some(function (hit) {
-        if (kid) {
-          if (kid !== hit.jwk.kid && kid !== hit.thumbprint) { return; }
-          if (true === verify(hit, payload)) { return true; }
-          throw new Error('token signature verification was unsuccessful');
-        } else {
-          if (true === verify(hit, payload)) { return true; }
-        }
-      })) {
-        return decoded;
-      }
-      throw new Error("Retrieved a list of keys, but none of them matched the 'kid' (key id) of the token.");
-    }
+// old, gotta make sure nothing else uses this
+keyfetch._decode = function (jwt) {
+  var obj = keyfetch.jwt.decode(jwt);
+  return { header: obj.header, payload: obj.claims, signature: obj.signature };
+};
+keyfetch.verify = function (opts) {
+  var jwt = opts.jwt;
+  return keyfetch.jwt.verify(jwt, opts).then(function (obj) {
+    return { header: obj.header, payload: obj.claims, signature: obj.signature };
   });
 };
 
@@ -346,3 +382,11 @@ function ecdsaAsn1SigToJwtSig(header, b64sig) {
     .replace(/=/g, '')
   ;
 }
+
+function isTrustedIssuer(issuer) {
+  return function (trusted) {
+    if ('*' === trusted) { return true; }
+    // TODO normalize and account for '*'
+    return issuer.replace(/\/$/, '') === trusted.replace(/\/$/, '') && trusted;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cc3d73a..8d23a13 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "keyfetch",
-  "version": "1.1.10",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
   "description": "Lightweight support for fetching JWKs.",
   "homepage": "https://git.coolaj86.com/coolaj86/keyfetch.js",
   "main": "keyfetch.js",