diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 1c04474..420cb64 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -112,15 +112,27 @@ module.exports.verify = function(jwtString, secretOrPublicKey, options, callback
                          ~secretOrPublicKey.toString().indexOf('BEGIN PUBLIC KEY') ?
                           [ 'RS256','RS384','RS512','ES256','ES384','ES512' ] :
                          ~secretOrPublicKey.toString().indexOf('BEGIN RSA PUBLIC KEY') ?
-							[ 'RS256','RS384','RS512' ] :
-							[ 'HS256','HS384','HS512' ];
+                          [ 'RS256','RS384','RS512' ] :
+                          [ 'HS256','HS384','HS512' ];
 
   }
 
+  var decodedToken = jws.decode(jwtString);
+
+  if (!decodedToken) {
+    return done(new JsonWebTokenError('invalid token'));
+  }
+
+  var header = decodedToken.header;
+
+  if (!~options.algorithms.indexOf(header.alg)) {
+    return done(new JsonWebTokenError('invalid algorithm'));
+  }
+
   var valid;
 
   try {
-    valid = jws.verify(jwtString, secretOrPublicKey);
+    valid = jws.verify(jwtString, header.alg, secretOrPublicKey);
   } catch (e) {
     return done(e);
   }
@@ -136,11 +148,6 @@ module.exports.verify = function(jwtString, secretOrPublicKey, options, callback
     return done(err);
   }
 
-  var header = jws.decode(jwtString).header;
-  if (!~options.algorithms.indexOf(header.alg)) {
-    return done(new JsonWebTokenError('invalid signature'));
-  }
-
   if (typeof payload.exp !== 'undefined' && !options.ignoreExpiration) {
     if (typeof payload.exp !== 'number') {
       return done(new JsonWebTokenError('invalid exp value'));
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ceb68ca..af726bf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/auth0/node-jsonwebtoken/issues"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "jws": "~2.0.0"
+    "jws": "^3.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "atob": "~1.1.2",
-    "chai": "~1.10.0",
-    "mocha": "~2.1.0"
+    "atob": "^1.1.2",
+    "chai": "^1.10.0",
+    "mocha": "^2.1.0"
   },
   "engines": {
     "npm": ">=1.4.28"
diff --git a/test/jwt.rs.tests.js b/test/jwt.rs.tests.js
index a7d6578..f053fd7 100644
--- a/test/jwt.rs.tests.js
+++ b/test/jwt.rs.tests.js
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ describe('RS256', function() {
       jwt.verify('fruit.fruit.fruit', pub, function(err, decoded) {
         assert.isUndefined(decoded);
         assert.isNotNull(err);
-        assert.equal(err.name, 'Error');
+        assert.equal(err.name, 'JsonWebTokenError');
         done();
       });
     });
diff --git a/test/wrong_alg.tests.js b/test/wrong_alg.tests.js
index 513ba18..04ce48e 100644
--- a/test/wrong_alg.tests.js
+++ b/test/wrong_alg.tests.js
@@ -11,10 +11,32 @@ var pub = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, 'pub.pem'), 'utf8');
 
 var TOKEN = 'eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJmb28iOiJiYXIiLCJpYXQiOjE0MjY1NDY5MTl9.ETgkTn8BaxIX4YqvUWVFPmum3moNZ7oARZtSBXb_vP4';
 
-describe('signing with pub key as symmetric', function () {
-  it('should not verify', function () {
-    expect(function () {
-      jwt.verify(TOKEN, pub);
-    }).to.throw(JsonWebTokenError, /invalid signature/);
+describe('when setting a wrong `header.alg`', function () {
+
+  describe('signing with pub key as symmetric', function () {
+    it('should not verify', function () {
+      expect(function () {
+        jwt.verify(TOKEN, pub);
+      }).to.throw(JsonWebTokenError, /invalid algorithm/);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('signing with pub key as HS256 and whitelisting only RS256', function () {
+    it('should not verify', function () {
+      expect(function () {
+        jwt.verify(TOKEN, pub, {algorithms: ['RS256']});
+      }).to.throw(JsonWebTokenError, /invalid algorithm/);
+    });
   });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+
+  describe('signing with HS256 and checking with HS384', function () {
+    it('should not verify', function () {
+      expect(function () {
+        var token = jwt.sign({foo: 'bar'}, 'secret', {algorithm: 'HS256'});
+        jwt.verify(token, 'some secret', {algorithms: ['HS384']});
+      }).to.throw(JsonWebTokenError, /invalid algorithm/);
+    });
+  });
+
+
+});