diff --git a/backend/cmd/kubevoyage/main.go b/backend/cmd/kubevoyage/main.go
index e393be9..5e770ea 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/kubevoyage/main.go
+++ b/backend/cmd/kubevoyage/main.go
@@ -127,6 +127,12 @@ func setupServer(handle *handlers.Handler) http.Handler {
 	mux.Handle("/api/request", logMiddleware(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		handle.HandleRequestSite(w, r)
 	})))
+	mux.Handle("/api/logout", logMiddleware(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		handle.HandleLogout(w, r)
+	})))
+	mux.Handle("/api/validate-session", logMiddleware(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		handle.HandleValidateSession(w, r)
+	})))
 
 	return handler
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/handlers/auth.go b/backend/internal/handlers/auth.go
index c995386..40f7c06 100644
--- a/backend/internal/handlers/auth.go
+++ b/backend/internal/handlers/auth.go
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ type TokenInfo struct {
 	user          string
 }
 
-var store = sessions.NewCookieStore([]byte("your-very-secret-key"))
+var secret, _ = util.GetEnvOrDefault("JWT_SECRET_KEY", "kubevoyage")
+var store = sessions.NewCookieStore([]byte(secret))
 var oneTimeStore = make(map[string]TokenInfo)
 
 func NewHandler(db *gorm.DB) *Handler {
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleLogin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	session.Options = &sessions.Options{
 		Path:     "/",                   // Available across the entire domain
-		MaxAge:   3600,                  // Expires after 1 hour
+		MaxAge:   3600 * 24 * 7,         // Expires after 1 week TODO: make configurable
 		HttpOnly: true,                  // Not accessible via JavaScript
 		Secure:   true,                  // Only sent over HTTPS
 		SameSite: http.SameSiteNoneMode, // Controls cross-site request behavior
@@ -113,9 +114,11 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleLogin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	session.Values["authenticated"] = true
 	session.Values["user"] = inputUser.Email
-	if err := session.Save(r, w); err != nil {
-		http.Error(w, "Internal Server Error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
+	if session.IsNew {
+		if err := session.Save(r, w); err != nil {
+			http.Error(w, "Internal Server Error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	var domain string
@@ -306,6 +309,68 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleAuthenticate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 }
+func (h *Handler) HandleLogout(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	session, err := store.Get(r, "session-cook")
+	if err != nil {
+		sendJSONError(w, "Internal Server Error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Clear session values
+	session.Values["authenticated"] = false
+	delete(session.Values, "user")
+
+	// Expire the cookie
+	session.Options.MaxAge = -1
+
+	// Save the session
+	err = session.Save(r, w)
+	if err != nil {
+		sendJSONError(w, "Internal Server Error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	response := map[string]interface{}{
+		"success": true,
+		"message": "Logout successful",
+	}
+	sendJSONResponse(w, response, http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) HandleValidateSession(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	session, err := store.Get(r, "session-cook")
+	if err != nil {
+		sendJSONError(w, "Internal Server Error", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	authenticated, ok := session.Values["authenticated"].(bool)
+	if !ok || !authenticated {
+		sendJSONError(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+
+	user, ok := session.Values["user"].(string)
+	if !ok || user == "" {
+		sendJSONError(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Optionally, you can check if the user still exists in the database
+	var dbUser models.User
+	result := h.db.Where("email = ?", user).First(&dbUser)
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		sendJSONError(w, "User not found", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+
+	response := map[string]interface{}{
+		"success": true,
+		"message": "Session is valid",
+		"user":    user,
+	}
+	sendJSONResponse(w, response, http.StatusOK)
+}
 
 func (h *Handler) logError(w http.ResponseWriter, message string, err error, statusCode int) {
 	logMessage := message
@@ -322,7 +387,11 @@ func (h *Handler) getUserFromSession(r *http.Request) (string, error) {
 		slog.Debug("Error retrieving user from session", "error", err)
 		return "", err
 	}
-	user, _ := session.Values["user"].(string)
+	user, success := session.Values["user"].(string)
+	if success == false {
+		slog.Debug("Error retrieving user from session", "error", err)
+		return "", err
+	}
 	return user, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/handlers/utils.go b/backend/internal/handlers/utils.go
index 12025e9..682434c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/handlers/utils.go
+++ b/backend/internal/handlers/utils.go
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ func sendJSONResponse(w http.ResponseWriter, data interface{}, statusCode int) {
 func IsUserAdmin(db *gorm.DB, email string) (bool, error) {
 	var user models.User
 
+	if email == "" {
+		return false, errors.New("user is empty")
+	}
 	// Find the user by email
 	result := db.Where("email = ?", email).First(&user)
 	if errors.Is(result.Error, gorm.ErrRecordNotFound) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.svelte b/frontend/src/App.svelte
index d2cfda0..99b8d64 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/App.svelte
@@ -1,10 +1,37 @@
 <script>
   import { Router, Route, Link } from 'svelte-routing';
+  import {onMount} from 'svelte';
   import { isAuthenticated } from './authStore.js';
   import routes from './routes.js';
   import 'bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css';
   import 'bootstrap-icons/font/bootstrap-icons.css';
 
+
+
+  onMount(async () => {
+    isAuthenticated.checkAuth();
+    await validateSession();
+  });
+
+  async function validateSession() {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch('/api/validate-session', {
+        credentials: 'include'  // This is important for sending cookies
+      });
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        throw new Error('Session invalid');
+      }
+      isAuthenticated.setAuth(true);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Session validation failed:', error);
+      isAuthenticated.setAuth(false);
+    }
+  }
+  async function logout() {
+    await fetch('/api/logout', { method: 'POST', credentials: 'include' });
+    isAuthenticated.setAuth(false);
+    // Handle logout (e.g., redirect to login page)
+  }
 </script>
 
 <Router>
@@ -26,6 +53,9 @@
         {#if $isAuthenticated}
         <li class="nav-item">
           <Link class="nav-link" to="/requests">Requests</Link>
+          <button class="nav-link" on:click={logout()}>Requests</button>
+
+
         </li>
           {/if}
         <!-- Add more links as needed -->
diff --git a/frontend/src/authStore.js b/frontend/src/authStore.js
index 0f82e16..ab9a803 100644
--- a/frontend/src/authStore.js
+++ b/frontend/src/authStore.js
@@ -1,3 +1,25 @@
 import { writable } from 'svelte/store';
 
-export const isAuthenticated = writable(false);
\ No newline at end of file
+function createAuthStore() {
+  const { subscribe, set } = writable(false);
+
+  return {
+    subscribe,
+    setAuth: (value) => {
+      set(value);
+      if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+        localStorage.setItem('isAuthenticated', JSON.stringify(value));
+      }
+    },
+    checkAuth: () => {
+      if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+        const storedAuth = localStorage.getItem('isAuthenticated');
+        if (storedAuth) {
+          set(JSON.parse(storedAuth));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+export const isAuthenticated = createAuthStore();