diff --git a/clearml/backend_api/session/session.py b/clearml/backend_api/session/session.py
index e8a1093c..c2611a32 100644
--- a/clearml/backend_api/session/session.py
+++ b/clearml/backend_api/session/session.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class Session(TokenManager):
 
         # update api version from server response
         try:
-            token_dict = jwt.decode(self.token, verify=False)
+            token_dict = TokenManager.get_decoded_token(self.token)
             api_version = token_dict.get('api_version')
             if not api_version:
                 api_version = '2.2' if token_dict.get('env', '') == 'prod' else Session.api_version
@@ -182,7 +182,8 @@ class Session(TokenManager):
 
             Session.api_version = str(api_version)
         except (jwt.DecodeError, ValueError):
-            pass
+            (self._logger or get_logger()).warning(
+                "Failed parsing server API level, defaulting to {}".format(Session.api_version))
 
         # now setup the session reporting, so one consecutive retries will show warning
         # we do that here, so if we have problems authenticating, we see them immediately
diff --git a/clearml/backend_api/session/token_manager.py b/clearml/backend_api/session/token_manager.py
index 0d970f90..6ee3ce36 100644
--- a/clearml/backend_api/session/token_manager.py
+++ b/clearml/backend_api/session/token_manager.py
@@ -68,12 +68,17 @@ class TokenManager(object):
         return 0
 
     @classmethod
-    def _get_token_exp(cls, token):
+    def get_decoded_token(cls, token):
         """ Get token expiration time. If not present, assume forever """
         return jwt.decode(
             token, verify=False,
             options=dict(verify_signature=False),
-            algorithms=get_default_algorithms()).get('exp', sys.maxsize)
+            algorithms=get_default_algorithms())
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_token_exp(cls, token):
+        """ Get token expiration time. If not present, assume forever """
+        return cls.get_decoded_token(token).get('exp', sys.maxsize)
 
     def _set_token(self, token):
         if token: