diff --git a/backend/backend/settings/deps/jwt.py b/backend/backend/settings/deps/jwt.py
index 839a1960f..f797cbca9 100644
--- a/backend/backend/settings/deps/jwt.py
+++ b/backend/backend/settings/deps/jwt.py
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@
 # Key configuration for JSON web tokens (JWT) authentication
 if common.to_bool(os.environ.get("JWT_SECRET_NEEDED", "False")):
     try:
-        SECRET_KEY = pathlib.Path(JWT_SECRET_PATH).read_text().strip()
+        JWT_SECRET_KEY = pathlib.Path(JWT_SECRET_PATH).read_text().strip()
     except IOError:
         try:
-            SECRET_KEY = secrets.token_urlsafe()  # uses a "reasonable default" length
+            JWT_SECRET_KEY = secrets.token_urlsafe()  # uses a "reasonable default" length
             with open(JWT_SECRET_PATH, "w") as fp:
-                fp.write(SECRET_KEY)
+                fp.write(JWT_SECRET_KEY)
         except IOError:
             raise Exception(f"Cannot open file `{JWT_SECRET_PATH}` for writing.")
 else:
-    SECRET_KEY = "unused default value " + secrets.token_urlsafe()
+    JWT_SECRET_KEY = "unused default value " + secrets.token_urlsafe()
diff --git a/backend/users/views/user.py b/backend/users/views/user.py
index 78a355bfa..c83a88e8d 100644
--- a/backend/users/views/user.py
+++ b/backend/users/views/user.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def set_password(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         username = unquote(kwargs.get("username"))
         instance = self.user_model.objects.get(username=username)
 
-        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.SECRET_KEY))
+        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.JWT_SECRET_KEY))
         token_validation = _validate_token(token, secret)
 
         if token_validation.get("is_valid"):
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ def verify_token(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         username = unquote(kwargs.get("username"))
         instance = self.user_model.objects.get(username=username)
 
-        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.SECRET_KEY))
+        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.JWT_SECRET_KEY))
         token_validation = _validate_token(token, secret)
         if token_validation.get("is_valid"):
             return ApiResponse(data={}, status=status.HTTP_200_OK, headers=self.get_success_headers({}))
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ def verify_token(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
     def generate_reset_password_token(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         """Returns reset password token. Restricted to Admin request"""
         instance = self.get_object()
-        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.SECRET_KEY))
+        secret = _xor_secrets(instance.password, force_str(settings.JWT_SECRET_KEY))
 
         jwt_token = jwt.encode(
             payload={"exp": datetime.datetime.now() + datetime.timedelta(days=7)},