diff --git a/lemmy.go b/lemmy.go
index 5bbd3f7..7cff447 100644
--- a/lemmy.go
+++ b/lemmy.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/go-querystring/query"
 )
 
+var ErrNoToken = errors.New("the server didn't provide a token value in its response")
+
 // Client is a client for Lemmy's HTTP API
 type Client struct {
 	client  *http.Client
@@ -40,7 +43,12 @@ func (c *Client) ClientLogin(ctx context.Context, l Login) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	c.Token = lr.JWT.ValueOrZero()
+
+	token, ok := lr.JWT.Value()
+	if !ok || token == "" {
+		return ErrNoToken
+	}
+	c.Token = token
 	return nil
 }