diff --git a/umap/asgi.py b/umap/asgi.py
index 5b130b65..1f9d618a 100644
--- a/umap/asgi.py
+++ b/umap/asgi.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ urlpatterns = (re_path(r"ws/sync/(?P<map_id>\w+)/$", consumers.SyncConsumer.as_a
 application = ProtocolTypeRouter(
     {
         "http": django_asgi_app,
-        "websocket": consumers.TokenMiddleware(
-            AllowedHostsOriginValidator(URLRouter(urlpatterns))
-        ),
+        "websocket": AllowedHostsOriginValidator(URLRouter(urlpatterns)),
     }
 )
diff --git a/umap/static/umap/js/modules/sync/websocket.js b/umap/static/umap/js/modules/sync/websocket.js
index 1ea9419c..c49b7953 100644
--- a/umap/static/umap/js/modules/sync/websocket.js
+++ b/umap/static/umap/js/modules/sync/websocket.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export class WebSocketTransport {
     this.receiver = messagesReceiver
     this.closeRequested = false
 
-    this.websocket = new WebSocket(`${webSocketURI}?${authToken}`)
+    this.websocket = new WebSocket(`${webSocketURI}`)
 
     this.websocket.onopen = () => {
       this.send('JoinRequest', { token: authToken })
diff --git a/umap/sync/consumers.py b/umap/sync/consumers.py
index f9c3492b..48912820 100644
--- a/umap/sync/consumers.py
+++ b/umap/sync/consumers.py
@@ -14,21 +14,6 @@ from .payloads import (
 )
 
 
-class TokenMiddleware:
-    def __init__(self, app):
-        self.app = app
-
-    async def __call__(self, scope, receive, send):
-        signed = TimestampSigner().unsign_object(
-            scope["query_string"].decode(), max_age=30
-        )
-        user, map_id, permissions = signed.values()
-        if "edit" not in permissions:
-            raise ValueError("Invalid Token")
-        scope["user"] = user
-        return await self.app(scope, receive, send)
-
-
 class SyncConsumer(AsyncWebsocketConsumer):
     @property
     def peers(self):
@@ -41,7 +26,7 @@ class SyncConsumer(AsyncWebsocketConsumer):
         await self.channel_layer.group_add(self.map_id, self.channel_name)
 
         await self.accept()
-        await self.send_peers_list()
+        self.is_authenticated = False
 
     async def disconnect(self, close_code):
         await self.channel_layer.group_discard(self.map_id, self.channel_name)
@@ -68,6 +53,18 @@ class SyncConsumer(AsyncWebsocketConsumer):
         await self.send(event["message"])
 
     async def receive(self, text_data):
+        if not self.is_authenticated:
+            message = JoinRequest.model_validate_json(text_data)
+            signed = TimestampSigner().unsign_object(message.token, max_age=30)
+            user, map_id, permissions = signed.values()
+            if "edit" not in permissions:
+                return await self.disconnect()
+            response = JoinResponse(uuid=self.channel_name, peers=self.peers)
+            await self.send(response.model_dump_json())
+            await self.send_peers_list()
+            self.is_authenticated = True
+            return
+
         if text_data == "ping":
             return await self.send("pong")
 
@@ -81,9 +78,6 @@ class SyncConsumer(AsyncWebsocketConsumer):
         else:
             match incoming.root:
                 # Broadcast all operation messages to connected peers
-                case JoinRequest():
-                    response = JoinResponse(uuid=self.channel_name, peers=self.peers)
-                    await self.send(response.model_dump_json())
                 case OperationMessage():
                     await self.broadcast(text_data)
 
diff --git a/umap/sync/payloads.py b/umap/sync/payloads.py
index cfe2a003..6a15a3f1 100644
--- a/umap/sync/payloads.py
+++ b/umap/sync/payloads.py
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ class PeerMessage(BaseModel):
 class Request(RootModel):
     """Any message coming from the websocket should be one of these, and will be rejected otherwise."""
 
-    root: Union[PeerMessage, OperationMessage, JoinRequest] = Field(
-        discriminator="kind"
-    )
+    root: Union[PeerMessage, OperationMessage] = Field(discriminator="kind")
 
 
 class JoinResponse(BaseModel):