diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3a72055..c59f17d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ QBIT_URL="http://localhost:8080"
 QBIT_USERNAME="..."
 QBIT_PASSWORD="..."
 SQLITE_PATH="data/magent.db"
-JWT_SECRET="change-me"
+JWT_SECRET="replace-with-a-long-random-secret"
 JWT_EXP_MINUTES="720"
-ADMIN_USERNAME="admin"
-ADMIN_PASSWORD="adminadmin"
+ADMIN_USERNAME="set-a-real-admin-username"
+ADMIN_PASSWORD="set-a-long-unique-admin-password"
 ```
 
 ## Screenshots
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ $env:QBIT_URL="http://localhost:8080"
 $env:QBIT_USERNAME="..."
 $env:QBIT_PASSWORD="..."
 $env:SQLITE_PATH="data/magent.db"
-$env:JWT_SECRET="change-me"
+$env:JWT_SECRET="replace-with-a-long-random-secret"
 $env:JWT_EXP_MINUTES="720"
-$env:ADMIN_USERNAME="admin"
-$env:ADMIN_PASSWORD="adminadmin"
+$env:ADMIN_USERNAME="set-a-real-admin-username"
+$env:ADMIN_PASSWORD="set-a-long-unique-admin-password"
 ```
 
 ### Frontend (Next.js)
diff --git a/backend/app/security.py b/backend/app/security.py
index ce983d8..1a2adbd 100644
--- a/backend/app/security.py
+++ b/backend/app/security.py
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ def _create_token(
     return jwt.encode(payload, settings.jwt_secret, algorithm=_ALGORITHM)
 
 def create_access_token(subject: str, role: str, expires_minutes: Optional[int] = None) -> str:
+    if not settings.jwt_secret:
+        raise ValueError("JWT_SECRET is not configured")
     minutes = expires_minutes or settings.jwt_exp_minutes
     expires = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(minutes=minutes)
     return _create_token(subject, role, expires_at=expires, token_type="access")
@@ -55,6 +57,8 @@ def create_stream_token(subject: str, role: str, expires_seconds: int = 120) ->
 
 
 def decode_token(token: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    if not settings.jwt_secret:
+        raise ValueError("JWT_SECRET is not configured")
     return jwt.decode(token, settings.jwt_secret, algorithms=[_ALGORITHM])
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/app/feedback/page.tsx b/frontend/app/feedback/page.tsx
index ddb3936..ed76558 100644
--- a/frontend/app/feedback/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/feedback/page.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
-import { authFetch, clearToken, getApiBase, getToken } from '../lib/auth'
+import { authFetchOrThrow, getApiBase, getToken, UnauthorizedError } from '../lib/auth'
 
 type Profile = {
   username?: string
@@ -24,15 +24,17 @@ export default function FeedbackPage() {
     const load = async () => {
       try {
         const baseUrl = getApiBase()
-        const response = await authFetch(`${baseUrl}/auth/me`)
+        const response = await authFetchOrThrow(`${baseUrl}/auth/me`)
         if (!response.ok) {
-          clearToken()
-          router.push('/login')
-          return
+          throw new Error('Could not load profile.')
         }
         const data = await response.json()
         setProfile({ username: data?.username })
       } catch (error) {
+        if (error instanceof UnauthorizedError) {
+          router.push('/login')
+          return
+        }
         console.error(error)
       }
     }
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ export default function FeedbackPage() {
     setSubmitting(true)
     try {
       const baseUrl = getApiBase()
-      const response = await authFetch(`${baseUrl}/feedback`, {
+      const response = await authFetchOrThrow(`${baseUrl}/feedback`, {
         method: 'POST',
         headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
         body: JSON.stringify({
@@ -58,17 +60,16 @@ export default function FeedbackPage() {
         }),
       })
       if (!response.ok) {
-        if (response.status === 401) {
-          clearToken()
-          router.push('/login')
-          return
-        }
         const text = await response.text()
         throw new Error(text || `Request failed: ${response.status}`)
       }
       setMessage('')
       setStatus('Thanks! Your message has been sent.')
     } catch (error) {
+      if (error instanceof UnauthorizedError) {
+        router.push('/login')
+        return
+      }
       console.error(error)
       setStatus('That did not send. Please try again.')
     } finally {
diff --git a/frontend/app/lib/auth.ts b/frontend/app/lib/auth.ts
index c89bfbb..a0c23ff 100644
--- a/frontend/app/lib/auth.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/lib/auth.ts
@@ -64,3 +64,37 @@ export const getEventStreamToken = async () => {
   }
   return token
 }
+
+export class UnauthorizedError extends Error {
+  constructor() {
+    super('Unauthorized')
+    this.name = 'UnauthorizedError'
+  }
+}
+
+export class ForbiddenError extends Error {
+  constructor() {
+    super('Forbidden')
+    this.name = 'ForbiddenError'
+  }
+}
+
+export const authFetchOrThrow = async (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
+  const response = await authFetch(input, init)
+  if (response.status === 401) {
+    clearToken()
+    throw new UnauthorizedError()
+  }
+  if (response.status === 403) {
+    throw new ForbiddenError()
+  }
+  return response
+}
+
+export const readResponseText = async (response: Response) => {
+  try {
+    return (await response.text()).trim()
+  } catch {
+    return ''
+  }
+}