diff --git a/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_api_auth_backend.py b/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_api_auth_backend.py
index 799d118f9..6d39c7d8f 100644
--- a/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_api_auth_backend.py
+++ b/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_api_auth_backend.py
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@ def get_api_auth_backend():
 
     def get_jwt_strategy() -> JWTStrategy[models.UP, models.ID]:
         secret = os.getenv("FASTAPI_USERS_JWT_SECRET", "super_secret")
-        try:
-            lifetime_seconds = int(os.getenv("JWT_LIFETIME_SECONDS", "3600"))
-        except ValueError:
-            lifetime_seconds = 3600
+        lifetime_seconds = int(os.getenv("JWT_LIFETIME_SECONDS", "3600"))
 
         return APIJWTStrategy(secret, lifetime_seconds=lifetime_seconds)
 
diff --git a/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_client_auth_backend.py b/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_client_auth_backend.py
index bf794377d..ba5dad2b3 100644
--- a/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_client_auth_backend.py
+++ b/cognee/modules/users/authentication/get_client_auth_backend.py
@@ -18,10 +18,7 @@ def get_client_auth_backend():
         from .default.default_jwt_strategy import DefaultJWTStrategy
 
         secret = os.getenv("FASTAPI_USERS_JWT_SECRET", "super_secret")
-        try:
-            lifetime_seconds = int(os.getenv("JWT_LIFETIME_SECONDS", "3600"))
-        except ValueError:
-            lifetime_seconds = 3600
+        lifetime_seconds = int(os.getenv("JWT_LIFETIME_SECONDS", "3600"))
 
         return DefaultJWTStrategy(secret, lifetime_seconds=lifetime_seconds)