diff --git a/common.go b/common.go
index ee75542..8cc6d71 100644
--- a/common.go
+++ b/common.go
@@ -168,7 +168,10 @@ func (a Auth) GetVerifier(options ...jwt.ValidateOption) (*jwtauth.JWTAuth, erro
 
 // findProjectClaim looks for the project_id/project claim in the JWT
 func findProjectClaim(r *http.Request) (uint64, error) {
-	raw := cmp.Or(jwtauth.TokenFromHeader(r))
+	raw := jwtauth.TokenFromHeader(r)
+	if raw == "" {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
 
 	token, err := jwt.ParseString(raw, jwt.WithVerify(false))
 	if err != nil {
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ func findProjectClaim(r *http.Request) (uint64, error) {
 
 	claim := cmp.Or(claims["project_id"], claims["project"])
 	if claim == nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("missing project claim")
+		return 0, nil
 	}
 
 	switch val := claim.(type) {
diff --git a/middleware.go b/middleware.go
index 5149243..e8e6452 100644
--- a/middleware.go
+++ b/middleware.go
@@ -65,23 +65,26 @@ func VerifyToken(cfg Options) func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			if cfg.ProjectStore != nil {
 				projectID, err := findProjectClaim(r)
 				if err != nil {
-					cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrUnauthorized.WithCausef("get project claim: %w", err))
+					cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrUnauthorized.WithCausef("find project claim: %w", err))
 					return
 				}
 
-				project, _auth, err := cfg.ProjectStore.GetProject(ctx, projectID)
-				if err != nil {
-					cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrUnauthorized.WithCausef("get project: %w", err))
-					return
-				}
-				if project == nil {
-					cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrProjectNotFound)
-					return
-				}
-				if _auth != nil {
-					auth = _auth
+				if projectID != 0 {
+					project, _auth, err := cfg.ProjectStore.GetProject(ctx, projectID)
+					if err != nil {
+						cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrUnauthorized.WithCausef("get project: %w", err))
+						return
+					}
+					if project == nil {
+						cfg.ErrHandler(r, w, proto.ErrProjectNotFound)
+						return
+					}
+					if _auth != nil {
+						auth = _auth
+					}
+					ctx = WithProject(ctx, project)
 				}
-				ctx = WithProject(ctx, project)
+
 			}
 
 			jwtAuth, err := auth.GetVerifier(jwtOptions...)