diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/get_token b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/get_token
index dc26e7696..c9e7bb0be 100755
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/get_token
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/get_token
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ set -o errtrace -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
 # ./bin/get_token repeat_form_user_1 repeat_form_user_1 # actually has permissions to the resource in this script
 # ./bin/get_token ciadmin1 ciadmin1 '%2Fprocess-models'
 
-# KEYCLOAK_BASE_URL=http://localhost:7002
-KEYCLOAK_BASE_URL=https://keycloak.dev.spiffworkflow.org
-# BACKEND_BASE_URL=http://localhost:7000
-BACKEND_BASE_URL=https://api.dev.spiffworkflow.org
+KEYCLOAK_BASE_URL=http://localhost:7002
+# KEYCLOAK_BASE_URL=https://keycloak.dev.spiffworkflow.org
+BACKEND_BASE_URL=http://localhost:7000
+# BACKEND_BASE_URL=https://api.dev.spiffworkflow.org
 REALM_NAME=spiffworkflow
 USERNAME=${1-fin}
 PASSWORD=${2-fin}
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ SECURE=false
 BACKEND_BASIC_AUTH=$(echo -n "${BACKEND_CLIENT_ID}:${BACKEND_CLIENT_SECRET}" | base64)
 KEYCLOAK_URL=$KEYCLOAK_BASE_URL/realms/$REALM_NAME/protocol/openid-connect/token
 
-echo "Using Keycloak: $KEYCLOAK_URL"
-echo "realm: $REALM_NAME"
-echo "client-id: $FRONTEND_CLIENT_ID"
-echo "username: $USERNAME"
-echo "password: $PASSWORD"
-echo "secure: $SECURE"
+>&2 echo "Using Keycloak: $KEYCLOAK_URL"
+>&2 echo "realm: $REALM_NAME"
+>&2 echo "client-id: $FRONTEND_CLIENT_ID"
+>&2 echo "username: $USERNAME"
+>&2 echo "password: $PASSWORD"
+>&2 echo "secure: $SECURE"
 
 
 if [[ $SECURE = 'y' ]]; then
@@ -61,8 +61,9 @@ result=$(curl -s -X POST "$KEYCLOAK_URL" "$INSECURE" \
  -d "client_id=$BACKEND_CLIENT_ID" \
 )
 backend_token=$(jq -r '.access_token' <<< "$result")
-echo "testing hitting backend with token: $backend_token"
-curl --fail -v "${BACKEND_BASE_URL}/v1.0/process-groups?per_page=1" -H "Authorization: Bearer $backend_token"
+echo "$backend_token"
+# curl --fail -v "${BACKEND_BASE_URL}/v1.0/process-groups?per_page=1" -H "Authorization: Bearer $backend_token"
+# curl -v -X POST "${BACKEND_BASE_URL}/v1.0/login_with_access_token?access_token=${backend_token}" -H "Authorization: Bearer $backend_token"
 
 
 ### Get with frontend and exchange with backend - not configured to work in keycloak atm
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/api.yml b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/api.yml
index 326d55b6e..842491c24 100755
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/api.yml
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/api.yml
@@ -79,6 +79,26 @@ paths:
         "200":
           description: Logout Authenticated User
 
+  /login_with_access_token:
+    parameters:
+      - name: access_token
+        in: query
+        required: true
+        schema:
+          type: string
+    post:
+      operationId: spiffworkflow_backend.routes.user.login_with_access_token
+      summary: Authenticate user for API access with an openid token already posessed.
+      tags:
+        - Authentication
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          description: "Returns ok: true if user successfully logged in."
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                $ref: "#/components/schemas/OkTrue"
+
   /login_api:
     get:
       operationId: spiffworkflow_backend.routes.user.login_api
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/user.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/user.py
index 6fd7d39c6..a86e48bea 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/user.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/user.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """User."""
 import ast
+from flask import make_response
+from flask import jsonify
 import base64
 import json
 import re
@@ -261,13 +263,11 @@ def parse_id_token(token: str) -> Any:
 
 
 def login_return(code: str, state: str, session_state: str = "") -> Optional[Response]:
-    """Login_return."""
     state_dict = ast.literal_eval(base64.b64decode(state).decode("utf-8"))
     state_redirect_url = state_dict["redirect_url"]
     auth_token_object = AuthenticationService().get_auth_token_object(code)
     if "id_token" in auth_token_object:
         id_token = auth_token_object["id_token"]
-
         user_info = parse_id_token(id_token)
 
         if AuthenticationService.validate_id_or_access_token(id_token):
@@ -299,6 +299,23 @@ def login_return(code: str, state: str, session_state: str = "") -> Optional[Res
         )
 
 
+# FIXME: share more code with login_return and maybe attempt to get a refresh token
+def login_with_access_token(access_token: str) -> Response:
+    user_info = parse_id_token(access_token)
+
+    if AuthenticationService.validate_id_or_access_token(access_token):
+        if user_info and "error" not in user_info:
+            AuthorizationService.create_user_from_sign_in(user_info)
+    else:
+        raise ApiError(
+            error_code="invalid_login",
+            message="Login failed. Please try again",
+            status_code=401,
+        )
+
+    return make_response(jsonify({"ok": True}))
+
+
 def login_api() -> Response:
     """Login_api."""
     redirect_url = "/v1.0/login_api_return"