diff --git a/PatchPanda.Web/Helpers/JwtHelper.cs b/PatchPanda.Web/Helpers/JwtHelper.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5175f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PatchPanda.Web/Helpers/JwtHelper.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+using System.Text.Json;
+
+namespace PatchPanda.Web.Helpers;
+
+public class JwtHelper
+{
+    public static DateTime? GetJwtExpiry(string jwt)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var parts = jwt.Split('.');
+            if (parts.Length < 2) return null;
+
+            var payload = parts[1];
+            var base64 = payload.Replace('-', '+').Replace('_', '/');
+            switch (base64.Length % 4)
+            {
+                case 2: base64 += "=="; break;
+                case 3: base64 += "="; break;
+            }
+
+            var bytes = Convert.FromBase64String(base64);
+            using var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(bytes);
+            if (doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("exp", out var expElement) && expElement.TryGetInt64(out var exp))
+            {
+                return DateTimeOffset.FromUnixTimeSeconds(exp).UtcDateTime;
+            }
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/PatchPanda.Web/Services/PortainerService.cs b/PatchPanda.Web/Services/PortainerService.cs
index 06f0406..088ac69 100644
--- a/PatchPanda.Web/Services/PortainerService.cs
+++ b/PatchPanda.Web/Services/PortainerService.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ private async Task EnsureAuthenticatedAsync()
             return;
         }
 
+        _logger.LogInformation("Using username and password to authenticate with Portainer...");
+
         var payload = JsonSerializer.Serialize(new { username = _username, password = _password });
         var resp = await _httpClient.PostAsync(
             "/api/auth",
@@ -94,10 +96,11 @@ private async Task EnsureAuthenticatedAsync()
                 "Bearer",
                 _jwt
             );
-            _jwtExpiry = DateTime.UtcNow.AddHours(8);
+            _jwtExpiry = JwtHelper.GetJwtExpiry(_jwt) ?? DateTime.UtcNow.AddHours(8);
+            _logger.LogInformation("Portainer authentication successful.");
         }
         else
-            _logger.LogWarning("Failed parsing Portainer auth response");
+            _logger.LogWarning("Failed parsing Portainer auth response.");
     }
 
     private async Task<PortainerStackDto?> GetStack(string stackName)