diff --git a/account/src/auth/jwt.rs b/account/src/auth/jwt.rs
index 6978677..0e282d4 100644
--- a/account/src/auth/jwt.rs
+++ b/account/src/auth/jwt.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ static AUD_KEY_MAP: Map<&'static str, &'static str> = phf_map! {
     "integration-test-project" => "olg7TF3aai-wR4HTDe5oR-WRhEsdW3u-O3IJHl0BiHkmR4MLskHG9HzivWoXsloUBnBMrFNxOH0x5cNMI07oi4PeRbHySiogRW9CXPjJaNlTi-pT_IgKFsyJNXsLyzrnajLkDbQU6pRsHmNeL0hAOUv48rtXv8VVWWN8okJehD2q9N7LHoFAOmIUEPg_VTHTt8K__O-9eMZKN4eMjh_4-sxRX6NXPSPT87XRlrK4GZ4pUdp86K0tOFLhwO4Uj0JkMNfI82eVZ1tAbDlqjd8jFnAb8fWm8wtdaTNbL_AAXmbDhswwJOyrw8fARZIhrXSdKBWa6e4k7sLwTIy-OO8saebnlARsjGst7ZCzmw5KCm2ctEVl3hYhHwyXu_A5rOblMrV3H0G7WqeKMCMVSJ11ssrlsmfVhNIwu1Qlt5GYmPTTJiCgGUGRxZkgDyOyjFNHglYpZamCGyJ9oyofsukEGoqMQ6WzjFi_hjVapzXi7Li-Q0OjEopIUUDDgeUrgjbGY0eiHI6sAz5hoaD0Qjc9e3Hk6-y7VcKCTCAanZOlJV0vJkHB98LBLh9qAoVUei_VaLFe2IcfVlrL_43aXlsHhr_SUQY5pHPlUMbQihE_57dpPRh31qDX_w6ye8dilniP8JmpKM2uIwnJ0x7hfJ45Qa0oLHmrGlzY9wi-RGP0YUk;AQAB",
 };
 
+const AVERAGE_BLOCK_TIME: u64 = 6;
+
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct Claims {
     aud: Box<[String]>, // Optional. Audience
@@ -87,15 +89,20 @@ pub fn verify(
     }
 
     // complete the time checks
+    // because the provided time is the completion of the the last block, we add
+    // the average block time to allow for a more realistic timestamp. this has
+    // implications for the "not before" and "expiration" timestamps, in that we
+    // are more forgiving for "not before" and less forgiving for "expiration"
+    let working_time = &current_time.plus_seconds(AVERAGE_BLOCK_TIME);
     let expiration = Timestamp::from_seconds(claims.exp as u64);
-    if expiration.lt(current_time) {
+    if expiration.lt(working_time) {
         return Err(InvalidTime {
             current: current_time.seconds(),
             received: expiration.seconds(),
         });
     }
     let not_before = Timestamp::from_seconds(claims.nbf as u64);
-    if not_before.gt(current_time) {
+    if not_before.gt(working_time) {
         return Err(InvalidTime {
             current: current_time.seconds(),
             received: not_before.seconds(),