diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 1b5b498..2ab7a00 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ internals.implementation = function (server, options) {
   return {
     authenticate: function (request, reply) {
       var token = extract(request, options);
-      
+
       if (!token && request.auth.mode === 'optional') {
         return reply.continue({ credentials: {} });
       }
@@ -41,7 +41,17 @@ internals.implementation = function (server, options) {
       }
       
       var keyFunc = (internals.isFunction(options.key)) ? options.key : function (decoded, callback) { callback(null, options.key); };
-      keyFunc(JWT.decode(token), function (err, key, extraInfo) {
+
+      var decoded;
+      try {
+        decoded = JWT.decode(token);
+      }
+      catch(e)
+      {
+        return reply(Boom.unauthorized('Invalid token format', 'Token'));
+      }
+
+      keyFunc(decoded, function (err, key, extraInfo) {
         if (err) {
           return reply(Boom.wrap(err));
         }
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index e72cddf..37edd62 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -61,6 +61,29 @@ test("Malformed JWT", function(t) {
   });
 });
 
+test("Try using a token with missing characters in body", function(t) {
+  // use the token as the 'authorization' header in requests
+  var token = JWT.sign({ id:123,"name":"Charlie" }, secret);
+  // delete some characters in body
+  var tokenData = token.split('.');
+  var header = tokenData[0],
+      body = tokenData[1],
+      signature = tokenData[2];
+  token = header + '.' + body.substring(0, body.length - 1) + '.' + signature;
+  /*console.log(" - - - - - - token  - - - - -");
+  console.log(token);*/
+  var options = {
+    method: "POST",
+    url: "/privado",
+    headers: { authorization: "Bearer "+token  }
+  };
+  // server.inject lets us similate an http request
+  server.inject(options, function(response) {
+    t.equal(response.statusCode, 401, "INVALID Token should fail");
+    t.end();
+  });
+});
+
 test("Try using an incorrect secret to sign the JWT", function(t) {
   // use the token as the 'authorization' header in requests
   var token = JWT.sign({ id:123,"name":"Charlie" }, 'incorrectSecret');