diff --git a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/README.md b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/README.md
index 5419ec1fd1..789560cc3f 100644
--- a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/README.md
+++ b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/README.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ First let's make a `GET` request to the proxy endpoint *without* the auth token.
 ```console
 $ curl -sv "http://localhost:4000/proxy/v1/shape?table=items&offset=-1"
 ...
-< HTTP/1.1 403 Forbidden
+< HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
 ...
 ```
 
diff --git a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api/token.ex b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api/token.ex
index 723a2471c0..c0d636f56a 100644
--- a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api/token.ex
+++ b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api/token.ex
@@ -22,9 +22,26 @@ defmodule Api.Token do
   end
 
   def verify(%ShapeDefinition{} = request_shape, token) do
-    with {:ok, %{"shape" => token_params}} <- JWT.verify_and_validate(token, JWT.signer()),
-         {:ok, token_shape} <- Shape.from(token_params) do
+    with {:ok, shape_claim} <- validate(token) do
+      matches(request_shape, shape_claim)
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp validate(token) do
+    with {:ok, %{"shape" => shape_claim}} <- JWT.verify_and_validate(token, JWT.signer()) do
+      {:ok, shape_claim}
+    else
+      _alt ->
+        {:error, :invalid}
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp matches(%ShapeDefinition{} = request_shape, %{} = shape_claim) do
+    with {:ok, token_shape} <- Shape.from(shape_claim) do
       Shape.matches(request_shape, token_shape)
+    else
+      _alt ->
+        false
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/authenticator.ex b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/authenticator.ex
index 907b8069f4..a0dacc1ecd 100644
--- a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/authenticator.ex
+++ b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/authenticator.ex
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ defmodule ApiWeb.Authenticator do
     request
   end
 
-  def authorise(shape, request_header_list) do
-    header_map = Enum.into(request_header_list, %{})
+  def authorise(shape, request_headers) do
+    header_map = Enum.into(request_headers, %{})
     header_key = String.downcase(@header_name)
 
     with {:ok, "Bearer " <> token} <- Map.fetch(header_map, header_key) do
       Token.verify(shape, token)
+    else
+      _alt ->
+        {:error, :missing}
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/plugs/auth/verify_token.ex b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/plugs/auth/verify_token.ex
index 8544d3bedf..2760efc005 100644
--- a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/plugs/auth/verify_token.ex
+++ b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/lib/api_web/plugs/auth/verify_token.ex
@@ -16,13 +16,18 @@ defmodule ApiWeb.Plugs.Auth.VerifyToken do
 
   def call(%{assigns: %{shape: shape}, req_headers: headers} = conn, _opts) do
     case Authenticator.authorise(shape, headers) do
-      true ->
+      {:error, message} when message in [:invalid, :missing] ->
         conn
+        |> send_resp(401, "Unauthorized")
+        |> halt()
 
-      _alt ->
+      false ->
         conn
         |> send_resp(403, "Forbidden")
         |> halt()
+
+      true ->
+        conn
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/test/api_web/controllers/proxy_controller_test.exs b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/test/api_web/controllers/proxy_controller_test.exs
index f1f6a5696a..6bc2190f56 100644
--- a/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/test/api_web/controllers/proxy_controller_test.exs
+++ b/examples/gatekeeper-auth/api/test/api_web/controllers/proxy_controller_test.exs
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ defmodule ApiWeb.ProxyControllerTest do
     test "requires auth", %{conn: conn} do
       assert conn
              |> get("/proxy/v1/shape", table: "items")
-             |> response(403)
+             |> response(401)
     end
 
     test "requires valid auth header", %{conn: conn} do
       assert conn
              |> put_req_header("authorization", "Bearer invalid-token")
              |> get("/proxy/v1/shape", table: "items")
-             |> response(403)
+             |> response(401)
     end
 
     test "requires matching shape definition", %{conn: conn} do