diff --git a/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.test.ts b/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.test.ts
index da4a1e02ec4..c153a045173 100644
--- a/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.test.ts
+++ b/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { Static } from '@fastify/type-provider-typebox';
+import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
+
 import {
   createSuperRequest,
   defaultUserId,
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from '../schemas';
 import * as mock from '../../../__mocks__/env-exam';
 import { constructUserExam } from '../utils/exam';
+import { JWT_SECRET } from '../../utils/env';
 
 jest.mock('../../utils/env', () => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-return
@@ -639,7 +642,7 @@ describe('/exam-environment/', () => {
     });
 
     describe('GET /exam-environment/token-meta', () => {
-      it('should allow a valid request', async () => {
+      it('should reject invalid tokens', async () => {
         const res = await superGet('/exam-environment/token-meta').set(
           'exam-environment-authorization-token',
           'invalid-token'
@@ -652,6 +655,24 @@ describe('/exam-environment/', () => {
           }
         });
       });
+
+      it('should tell the requester if the token does not exist', async () => {
+        const validToken = jwt.sign(
+          { examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken: 'does-not-exist' },
+          JWT_SECRET
+        );
+        const res = await superGet('/exam-environment/token-meta').set(
+          'exam-environment-authorization-token',
+          validToken
+        );
+
+        expect(res).toMatchObject({
+          status: 418,
+          body: {
+            code: 'FCC_EINVAL_EXAM_ENVIRONMENT_AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN'
+          }
+        });
+      });
     });
 
     describe('GET /exam-environment/exams', () => {
diff --git a/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.ts b/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.ts
index ba310a9b749..a9484e9c334 100644
--- a/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.ts
+++ b/api/src/exam-environment/routes/exam-environment.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   validateAttempt
 } from '../utils/exam';
 import { ERRORS } from '../utils/errors';
+import { isObjectID } from '../../utils/validation';
 
 /**
  * Wrapper for endpoints related to the exam environment desktop app.
@@ -91,8 +92,9 @@ async function tokenMetaHandler(
 ) {
   const { 'exam-environment-authorization-token': encodedToken } = req.headers;
 
+  let payload: JwtPayload;
   try {
-    jwt.verify(encodedToken, JWT_SECRET);
+    payload = jwt.verify(encodedToken, JWT_SECRET) as JwtPayload;
   } catch (e) {
     // Server refuses to brew (verify) coffee (jwts) with a teapot (random strings)
     void reply.code(418);
@@ -101,14 +103,18 @@ async function tokenMetaHandler(
     );
   }
 
-  const payload = jwt.decode(encodedToken) as JwtPayload;
-
-  const examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken =
-    payload.examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken;
+  if (!isObjectID(payload.examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken)) {
+    void reply.code(418);
+    return reply.send(
+      ERRORS.FCC_EINVAL_EXAM_ENVIRONMENT_AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN(
+        'Token is not valid'
+      )
+    );
+  }
 
   const token = await this.prisma.examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken.findUnique({
     where: {
-      id: examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken
+      id: payload.examEnvironmentAuthorizationToken
     }
   });