diff --git a/backend/auth/jwt.go b/backend/auth/jwt.go
index b44a46d..da59133 100644
--- a/backend/auth/jwt.go
+++ b/backend/auth/jwt.go
@@ -38,35 +38,35 @@ func generateJTI() (string, error) {
 		b[0:4], b[4:6], b[6:8], b[8:10], b[10:16]), nil
 }
 
-// RevokeJTI adds a JTI to the revoked set in PostgreSQL
-func RevokeJTI(ctx context.Context, jti string, expiresAt time.Time) {
+// RevokeJTI adds a JTI to the revoked set in PostgreSQL.
+// Returns an error if the operation fails.
+func RevokeJTI(ctx context.Context, jti string, expiresAt time.Time) error {
 	if db.Conn == nil {
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("revoke JTI: db.Conn is nil")
 	}
 	tx, err := db.Conn.Begin(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("WARN: Failed to begin transaction for JTI revocation: %v", err)
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("revoke JTI: begin transaction: %w", err)
 	}
 	defer func() {
-    if err := tx.Rollback(ctx); err != nil && err.Error() != "tx is closed" {
-        slog.Error("failed to rollback transaction", "err", err)
-    }
-}()
+		if err := tx.Rollback(ctx); err != nil && err.Error() != "tx is closed" {
+			slog.Error("failed to rollback transaction", "err", err)
+		}
+	}()
 
 	_, err = tx.Exec(ctx,
 		`INSERT INTO revoked_jtis (jti, expires_at) VALUES ($1, $2)
 		 ON CONFLICT (jti) DO NOTHING`,
 		jti, expiresAt)
 	if err != nil {
-		// Log but don't fail - this is best effort
-		log.Printf("WARN: Failed to revoke JTI %s: %v", jti, err)
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("revoke JTI %s: %w", jti, err)
 	}
 
 	if err := tx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("WARN: Failed to commit transaction for JTI revocation: %v", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("revoke JTI: commit transaction: %w", err)
 	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // IsJTIRevoked checks if a JTI is in the revoked set via PostgreSQL.
diff --git a/backend/auth/jwt_test.go b/backend/auth/jwt_test.go
index aa2bd82..25ae544 100644
--- a/backend/auth/jwt_test.go
+++ b/backend/auth/jwt_test.go
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ func TestVerifyToken_RevokedJTI(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("GenerateToken() failed: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour))
+	if err := RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RevokeJTI() failed: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	_, _, _, err = VerifyToken(token, ctx)
 	if err == nil {
@@ -225,7 +227,9 @@ func TestRevokeJTI_AddsToSet(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("JTI should not be revoked before calling RevokeJTI")
 	}
 
-	RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour))
+	if err := RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RevokeJTI() failed: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if !IsJTIRevoked(ctx, jti) {
 		t.Error("expected IsJTIRevoked to return true after RevokeJTI")
@@ -255,7 +259,9 @@ func TestCleanupRevokedJTIs_RemovesExpired(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Add with future expiry so IsJTIRevoked sees it
-	RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour))
+	if err := RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RevokeJTI() failed: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if !IsJTIRevoked(ctx, jti) {
 		t.Fatal("JTI should be in revoked set after RevokeJTI")
@@ -285,7 +291,9 @@ func TestCleanupRevokedJTIs_KeepsValid(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Add with future expiry
-	RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour))
+	if err := RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(30*24*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RevokeJTI() failed: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if !IsJTIRevoked(ctx, jti) {
 		t.Fatal("JTI should be in revoked set before cleanup")
@@ -491,8 +499,10 @@ func TestRevokeJTI_NilConn(t *testing.T) {
 	db.Conn = nil
 	t.Cleanup(func() { db.Conn = savedConn })
 
-	// Should not panic when db.Conn is nil
-	RevokeJTI(context.Background(), "test-jti", time.Now())
+	// Should return an error when db.Conn is nil
+	if err := RevokeJTI(context.Background(), "test-jti", time.Now()); err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error when db.Conn is nil, got nil")
+	}
 }
 
 // TestIsJTIRevoked_NilConn verifies that IsJTIRevoked returns false when db.Conn is nil.
diff --git a/backend/handlers/auth/auth_test.go b/backend/handlers/auth/auth_test.go
index 87ecffe..7bd38fd 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/auth/auth_test.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/auth/auth_test.go
@@ -1731,7 +1731,9 @@ func TestJTI_Revocation_PostgreSQL(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("token should be valid before revocation: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	auth.RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour))
+	if err := auth.RevokeJTI(ctx, jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RevokeJTI() failed: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if !auth.IsJTIRevoked(ctx, jti) {
 		t.Error("JTI should be revoked after RevokeJTI call")
diff --git a/backend/handlers/auth/local.go b/backend/handlers/auth/local.go
index f1d215f..7036582 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/auth/local.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/auth/local.go
@@ -485,7 +485,10 @@ func RefreshTokenHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	// Revoke the old token's JTI before issuing a new one (rotation)
 	if oldJTI != "" {
-		auth.RevokeJTI(r.Context(), oldJTI, clock.Now().Add(90*24*time.Hour)) // match refresh token lifetime
+		// Best-effort revocation: log the error but continue with the refresh
+		if err := auth.RevokeJTI(r.Context(), oldJTI, clock.Now().Add(90*24*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+			slog.Error("refresh: failed to revoke old JTI", "oldJTI", oldJTI, "err", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Generate new token
@@ -510,7 +513,11 @@ func LogoutHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Revoke the JTI — match the access token lifetime (1 hour)
-	auth.RevokeJTI(r.Context(), jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour))
+	if err := auth.RevokeJTI(r.Context(), jti, clock.Now().Add(1*time.Hour)); err != nil {
+		slog.Error("logout: failed to revoke JTI", "err", err)
+		http.Error(w, "Failed to revoke token. Please try again.", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
 
 	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]bool{"success": true})
 }