diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 73d34e6b..49b3768b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     "mongoose": "^4.4.16",
     "passport": "^0.3.2",
     "passport-github": "^1.1.0",
+    "passport-jwt": "^2.0.0",
     "passport-local": "^1.0.0",
     "react": "^15.0.2",
     "react-dom": "^15.0.2",
diff --git a/server/config/passport.js b/server/config/passport.js
index fe6c7c2f..7ebf173d 100644
--- a/server/config/passport.js
+++ b/server/config/passport.js
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 const passport = require('passport');
+const JwtStrategy = require('passport-jwt').Strategy;
+const ExtractJwt = require('passport-jwt').ExtractJwt;
 const GitHubStrategy = require('passport-github').Strategy;
 const LocalStrategy = require('passport-local').Strategy;
 
 const User = require('../models/user');
 
+// Setup options for JWT Strategy
+const jwtOptions = {
+  jwtFromRequest: ExtractJwt.fromHeader('authorization'),
+  secretOrKey: "steve brule"
+};
+
 passport.serializeUser((user, done) => {
   done(null, user.id);
 });
@@ -31,6 +39,22 @@ passport.use(new LocalStrategy({ usernameField: 'email' }, (email, password, don
   });
 }));
 
+// Create JWT strategy
+passport.use(new JwtStrategy(jwtOptions, function(payload, done) {
+  // See if the user ID in the payload exists in our database
+  // If it does, call 'done' with that other
+  // otherwise, call done without a user object
+  User.findById(payload.sub, function(err, user) {
+    if (err) { return done(err, false); }
+
+    if (user) {
+      done(null, user);
+    } else {
+      done(null, false);
+    }
+  });
+}));
+
 /**
  * Sign in with GitHub.
  */
diff --git a/server/controllers/user.controller.js b/server/controllers/user.controller.js
index c6de9d32..a8616652 100644
--- a/server/controllers/user.controller.js
+++ b/server/controllers/user.controller.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export function newUser(req, res) {
 }
 
 export function createUser(req, res, next) {
+	console.log("in create user");
 	const user = new User({
 		username: req.body.username,
     email: req.body.email,
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index fc2600bf..02fe4d1c 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -24,24 +24,11 @@ import serverConfig from './config';
 import users from './routes/user.routes';
 
 //Body parser, cookie parser, sessions, serve public assets
-const MongoStore = require('connect-mongo')(session);
 
 app.use(Express.static(path.resolve(__dirname, '../static')));
 app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: true}));
 app.use(bodyParser.json());
 app.use(cookieParser());
-app.use(session({
-	//this should be SECRET AND IN A SECRET FILE
-	//TODO add dotenv
-	secret: 'steve brule',
-	resave: true,
-	saveUninitialized: true,
-	store: new MongoStore({
-    // url: process.env.MONGODB_URI || process.env.MONGOLAB_URI,
-    url: serverConfig.mongoURL,
-    autoReconnect: true
-  })
-}));
 app.use(passport.initialize());
 app.use(passport.session());
 app.use('/', users);
@@ -56,8 +43,6 @@ mongoose.connection.on('error', () => {
   process.exit(1);
 });
 
-const passportConfig = require('./config/passport');
-
 app.get("/", function(req, res) {
   res.sendFile(path.resolve(__dirname + '/../index.html'));
 })
diff --git a/shared/containers/SignupView/SignupView.jsx b/shared/containers/SignupView/SignupView.jsx
index 8467ee92..e1f92f90 100644
--- a/shared/containers/SignupView/SignupView.jsx
+++ b/shared/containers/SignupView/SignupView.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import React from 'react'
-<<<<<<< HEAD
 import { bindActionCreators } from 'redux'
 import { connect } from 'react-redux'
 import * as UserActions from '../../redux/actions/user'