diff --git a/internal/auth/jwt.go b/internal/auth/jwt.go
index b5c6c2c..6910d50 100644
--- a/internal/auth/jwt.go
+++ b/internal/auth/jwt.go
@@ -8,10 +8,19 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 )
 
-// Claims represents the JWT claims for MyGO access tokens.
+// TokenType distinguishes access tokens from refresh tokens.
+type TokenType string
+
+const (
+	TokenAccess  TokenType = "access"
+	TokenRefresh TokenType = "refresh"
+)
+
+// Claims represents the JWT claims for MyGO tokens.
 type Claims struct {
 	jwt.RegisteredClaims
-	UserID string `json:"uid"`
+	UserID string    `json:"uid"`
+	Type   TokenType `json:"type"`
 }
 
 // GenerateAccessToken creates a signed JWT access token for a user.
@@ -24,6 +33,7 @@ func GenerateAccessToken(userID string, secret []byte, ttl time.Duration) (strin
 			ExpiresAt: jwt.NewNumericDate(now.Add(ttl)),
 		},
 		UserID: userID,
+		Type:   TokenAccess,
 	}
 
 	token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256, claims)
@@ -35,9 +45,26 @@ func GenerateAccessToken(userID string, secret []byte, ttl time.Duration) (strin
 	return signed, nil
 }
 
-// GenerateRefreshToken creates a signed JWT refresh token.
+// GenerateRefreshToken creates a signed JWT refresh token for a user.
 func GenerateRefreshToken(userID string, secret []byte, ttl time.Duration) (string, error) {
-	return GenerateAccessToken(userID, secret, ttl)
+	now := time.Now()
+	claims := Claims{
+		RegisteredClaims: jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			ID:        uuid.NewString(),
+			IssuedAt:  jwt.NewNumericDate(now),
+			ExpiresAt: jwt.NewNumericDate(now.Add(ttl)),
+		},
+		UserID: userID,
+		Type:   TokenRefresh,
+	}
+
+	token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256, claims)
+	signed, err := token.SignedString(secret)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("sign token: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return signed, nil
 }
 
 // ParseToken validates and parses a JWT token string.
diff --git a/internal/auth/jwt_test.go b/internal/auth/jwt_test.go
index 5cf3573..841a8ea 100644
--- a/internal/auth/jwt_test.go
+++ b/internal/auth/jwt_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ func TestParseTokenValid(t *testing.T) {
 	if claims.UserID != "user-1" {
 		t.Errorf("UserID = %q, want %q", claims.UserID, "user-1")
 	}
+	if claims.Type != TokenAccess {
+		t.Errorf("Type = %q, want %q", claims.Type, TokenAccess)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseTokenWrongSecret(t *testing.T) {
@@ -78,6 +81,17 @@ func TestGenerateRefreshToken(t *testing.T) {
 	if token == "" {
 		t.Fatal("token is empty")
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(token, ".") {
+		t.Fatal("token does not look like a JWT")
+	}
+
+	claims, err := ParseToken(token, secret)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseToken = %v", err)
+	}
+	if claims.Type != TokenRefresh {
+		t.Errorf("Type = %q, want %q", claims.Type, TokenRefresh)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestTokenUserIDCarried(t *testing.T) {
@@ -91,3 +105,21 @@ func TestTokenUserIDCarried(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("UserID = %q, want %q", claims.UserID, "alice-42")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRefreshTokenRejectedByMiddleware(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := []byte("test-secret")
+	token, err := GenerateRefreshToken("user-1", secret, 7*24*time.Hour)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GenerateRefreshToken = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Simulate what the middleware does: parse + check type
+	claims, err := ParseToken(token, secret)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseToken = %v", err)
+	}
+	if claims.Type != TokenRefresh {
+		t.Fatalf("expected refresh token type, got %q", claims.Type)
+	}
+	// The actual middleware rejection is tested in middleware/auth_test.go
+}
diff --git a/internal/middleware/auth.go b/internal/middleware/auth.go
index dbcd903..a66deb9 100644
--- a/internal/middleware/auth.go
+++ b/internal/middleware/auth.go
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ func AuthRequired(jwtSecret []byte) gin.HandlerFunc {
 			return
 		}
 
+		if claims.Type != auth.TokenAccess {
+			api.Error(c, http.StatusUnauthorized, "invalid token type")
+			c.Abort()
+			return
+		}
+
 		c.Set(userIDKey, claims.UserID)
 		c.Next()
 	}
diff --git a/internal/middleware/auth_test.go b/internal/middleware/auth_test.go
index 7c7c242..9d3bc14 100644
--- a/internal/middleware/auth_test.go
+++ b/internal/middleware/auth_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,24 @@ func TestAuthRequiredValidToken(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAuthRequiredRefreshTokenRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := []byte("test-secret")
+	token, err := auth.GenerateRefreshToken("user-1", secret, 7*24*time.Hour)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GenerateRefreshToken = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	r := setupTestRouter(secret)
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/protected", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+token)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("status = %d, want %d (refresh token should be rejected)", rec.Code, http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetUserID(t *testing.T) {
 	secret := []byte("test-secret")
 	token, err := auth.GenerateAccessToken("alice-42", secret, 15*time.Minute)
diff --git a/internal/service/auth.go b/internal/service/auth.go
index 26b8ec5..444eda6 100644
--- a/internal/service/auth.go
+++ b/internal/service/auth.go
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ func (s *AuthService) Refresh(ctx context.Context, refreshTokenStr string) (*Tok
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid token")
 	}
 
+	if claims.Type != auth.TokenRefresh {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid token")
+	}
+
 	tokenHash := auth.HashToken(refreshTokenStr)
 	session, err := s.sessionRepo.FindByTokenHash(ctx, tokenHash)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/service/auth_test.go b/internal/service/auth_test.go
index 2964e4f..4cbcde9 100644
--- a/internal/service/auth_test.go
+++ b/internal/service/auth_test.go
@@ -380,3 +380,24 @@ func TestAuthService_RefreshWithInvalidToken(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected error for invalid refresh token, got nil")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAuthService_RefreshWithAccessToken(t *testing.T) {
+	svc := setupAuthService(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	_, err := svc.Register(ctx, "testuser", "testuser@example.com", "password123")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Register = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pair, err := svc.Login(ctx, "testuser@example.com", "password123")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Login = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Attempt to use the access token as a refresh token
+	_, err = svc.Refresh(ctx, pair.AccessToken)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error when using access token for refresh, got nil")
+	}
+}