diff --git a/src/middleware/auth.ts b/src/middleware/auth.ts
index 954dd3b..2cb78df 100644
--- a/src/middleware/auth.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/auth.ts
@@ -19,13 +19,15 @@ export class AuthMiddleware implements ExpressMiddlewareInterface {
   ) {}
 
   async use(request: Request, response: Response, next: (err?: any) => any): Promise<any> {
-    const token = request.headers.authorization?.split(' ')[1];
-    if (!token) {
-      return response.status(401).json({ message: 'You must be authenticated to call this API' });
+    // todo : find a better fix for this
+    const exemptPaths = ['/auth/login', '/auth/register', '/auth/refresh'];
+    const isExemptPath = exemptPaths.some((path) => request.path.startsWith(path));
+    if (isExemptPath) {
+      return next();
     }
-
+    const token = request.headers.authorization?.split(' ')[1];
     try {
-      const authData = await this.authService.getCurrentUser(token);
+      const authData = await this.authService.getCurrentUser(token!);
       request.auth = authData;
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.error(`An error occurred while validating token, ${error}`);