diff --git a/server/middlewares/authMiddleware.js b/server/middlewares/authMiddleware.js
index de23ddd..162cad6 100644
--- a/server/middlewares/authMiddleware.js
+++ b/server/middlewares/authMiddleware.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { verifyToken, verifyRefreshToken, generateAccessToken, setAccessTokenCookie } from "../utils/tokenHelper.js";
+import { verifyToken, verifyRefreshToken, generateAccessToken, setAccessTokenCookie, clearAuthCookies } from "../utils/tokenHelper.js";
 import User from "../models/User.js";
 import ApiError from "../utils/ApiError.js";
+import bcrypt from "bcryptjs";
 
 /**
  * Auth Middleware
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import ApiError from "../utils/ApiError.js";
  * we transparently issue a new access token cookie (silent refresh).
  */
 const authMiddleware = async (req, res, next) => {
+
   try {
     let token = null;
     let tokenSource = null;
@@ -35,6 +37,8 @@ const authMiddleware = async (req, res, next) => {
       throw new ApiError(401, "Access denied. No token provided.");
     }
 
+    let prefetchedUser = null;
+ 
     let decoded;
     try {
       decoded = verifyToken(token);
@@ -44,50 +48,98 @@ const authMiddleware = async (req, res, next) => {
         try {
           const refreshDecoded = verifyRefreshToken(req.cookies.refreshToken);
           const userId = refreshDecoded.userId || refreshDecoded.id || refreshDecoded._id;
+
+          // Validate refresh token against stored hash
+          const refreshUser = await User.findById(userId).select("+security.refreshTokenHash");
+          
+          if (!refreshUser) {
+            throw new ApiError(401, "User not found.");
+          }
+          
+          const storedHash = refreshUser.security?.refreshTokenHash;
+          if (!storedHash) {
+            clearAuthCookies(res);
+            throw new ApiError(401, "Session has been revoked. Please log in again.");
+          }
+          
+          const isValid = await bcrypt.compare(
+            req.cookies.refreshToken,
+            storedHash
+          );
+          
+          if (!isValid) {
+            await User.findByIdAndUpdate(userId, {
+              $unset: { "security.refreshTokenHash": "" }
+            });
+            
+            clearAuthCookies(res);
+            
+            throw new ApiError(
+              401,
+              "Invalid session. Please log in again."
+            );
+          }
           const newAccessToken = generateAccessToken({
-            userId,
-            email: refreshDecoded.email,
-            role: refreshDecoded.role
+            userId: refreshUser._id,
+            email: refreshUser.email,
+            role: refreshUser.role
           });
-          // Set only the new access token cookie — refresh token stays unchanged.
-          // Cookie options are centralised in setAccessTokenCookie (tokenHelper.js).
+
+          // Set only the new access token cookie
           setAccessTokenCookie(res, newAccessToken);
-          decoded = { userId, email: refreshDecoded.email, role: refreshDecoded.role };
-        } catch {
-          throw new ApiError(401, "Session expired. Please log in again.");
-        }
+
+          decoded = {
+            userId: refreshUser._id,
+            email: refreshUser.email,
+            role: refreshUser.role
+          };
+        
+          if (refreshUser.security) {
+            refreshUser.security.refreshTokenHash = undefined;
+          }
+          prefetchedUser = refreshUser;
+
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (error instanceof ApiError) {
+            throw error;
+          }
+
+          throw new ApiError(
+            401,
+            "Session expired. Please log in again."
+          );
+        } 
       } else {
         throw new ApiError(401, "Invalid or expired token.");
       }
     }
 
-    const userId = decoded.userId || decoded.id || decoded._id;
+      const userId = decoded.userId || decoded.id || decoded._id;
 
-    if (!userId) {
-      throw new ApiError(401, "Invalid token payload.");
-    }
+      if (!userId) {
+        throw new ApiError(401, "Invalid token payload.");
+      }
 
-    const user = await User.findById(userId).select("-password");
+      const user = prefetchedUser ?? await User.findById(userId).select("-password");
+      if (!user) {
+        throw new ApiError(401, "User not found or account deleted.");
+      }
 
-    if (!user) {
-      throw new ApiError(401, "User not found or account deleted.");
-    }
+      req.user = user;
+      next();
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (error instanceof ApiError) {
+        return res.status(error.statusCode).json({
+          success: false,
+          message: error.message
+        });
+      }
 
-    req.user = user;
-    next();
-  } catch (error) {
-    if (error instanceof ApiError) {
-      return res.status(error.statusCode).json({
+      return res.status(401).json({
         success: false,
-        message: error.message
-      });
+        message: "Invalid or expired token."
+     });
     }
-
-    return res.status(401).json({
-      success: false,
-      message: "Invalid or expired token."
-    });
-  }
-};
+  };
 
 export default authMiddleware;