---
issue: 085
title: "Frontend: token refresh queue dispatches with undefined Authorization header"
severity: medium
domain: Authentication
labels: [bug, frontend, session]
status: open
created: 2026-05-30
source: Full Codebase Audit 2026-05-30
---

# Frontend: token refresh queue dispatches with undefined Authorization header

**Severity:** medium
**Domain:** Authentication
**Labels:** bug, frontend, session

## Description

`src/lib/axios.ts:136` flushes queued requests after a refresh attempt unconditionally. When the refresh yields no token (expired session, network error), queued requests are dispatched with `Authorization: Bearer undefined`, which backend middleware treats as an invalid token, causing all queued requests to fail with 401 — but no logout or error surfacing occurs.

## Options

1. On no token: reject queued requests (fail fast) and trigger logout/redirect.
2. Skip the `forEach` when `newAccessToken` is falsy and let requests retry later.
3. Move the `forEach` inside the `if(newAccessToken)` guard and reject the queue in the `else` branch.

## Recommendation

Move flush inside the token guard and explicitly reject queued callbacks so they error rather than retry with `'Bearer undefined'`.

## Affected Files

- `frontend/src/lib/axios.ts:136`

## References

- [Full Codebase Audit 2026-05-30](../09%20-%20Audits/Full%20Codebase%20Audit%20-%202026-05-30.md) — DEC-11