diff --git a/backend/app/routers/auth.py b/backend/app/routers/auth.py
index 260042f..61e99ae 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/auth.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/auth.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta, timezone
 
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException, status
 from fastapi.security import OAuth2PasswordRequestForm
-from jose import jwt
+from jose import JWTError, jwt
 from passlib.context import CryptContext
 from pydantic import BaseModel, EmailStr, field_validator
 from sqlalchemy import select
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ class TokenResponse(BaseModel):
     access_token_expires_minutes: int
 
 
+class RefreshRequest(BaseModel):
+    refresh_token: str
+
+
 class RegisterRequest(BaseModel):
     username: str
     email: EmailStr
@@ -62,8 +66,15 @@ class UserResponse(BaseModel):
 # --- Helpers ---
 
 def _create_access_token(data: dict) -> str:
-    """Create a signed access token using RS256."""
+    """Create a signed access token using RS256.
+
+    Includes a unique ``jti`` claim so that concurrent/same-second calls
+    (e.g. back-to-back /refresh requests) still produce distinct tokens —
+    without it, two tokens minted for the same user within the same
+    second are byte-identical since ``sub``/``exp`` are the only claims.
+    """
     to_encode = data.copy()
+    to_encode["jti"] = str(uuid.uuid4())
     expire = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(
         minutes=settings.ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES
     )
@@ -232,6 +243,72 @@ async def login(form: OAuth2PasswordRequestForm = Depends(), db: AsyncSession =
     )
 
 
+@router.post("/refresh", response_model=TokenResponse)
+async def refresh(req: RefreshRequest, db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db)):
+    """Exchange a valid refresh token for a new access token.
+
+    Validates the refresh token against the database:
+    - Must exist in the refresh_tokens table
+    - Must not be expired (expires_at > now)
+    - Must be active (is_active == true)
+
+    On success, returns a new access token. The refresh token itself is
+    NOT rotated (the client keeps using the same refresh token).
+    """
+    credentials_exception = HTTPException(
+        status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+        detail="Invalid or expired refresh token",
+    )
+
+    # Step 1: Decode and validate the JWT signature/claims
+    try:
+        payload = jwt.decode(
+            req.refresh_token,
+            settings.public_pem,
+            algorithms=[settings.ALGORITHM],
+        )
+    except JWTError:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    user_id_str: str | None = payload.get("sub")
+    if user_id_str is None:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    try:
+        user_id = int(user_id_str)
+    except (ValueError, TypeError):
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    # Step 2: Look up the refresh token in the database
+    result = await db.execute(
+        select(RefreshToken).where(
+            RefreshToken.token == req.refresh_token,
+            RefreshToken.user_id == user_id,
+        )
+    )
+    stored_token = result.scalar_one_or_none()
+
+    if stored_token is None:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    # Step 3: Check if the token is expired
+    if datetime.now(timezone.utc) >= stored_token.expires_at:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    # Step 4: Check if the token is active
+    if not stored_token.is_active:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
+    # Step 5: Issue a new access token
+    access_token = _create_access_token({"sub": str(user_id)})
+
+    return TokenResponse(
+        access_token=access_token,
+        refresh_token=req.refresh_token,  # Return the same refresh token
+        access_token_expires_minutes=settings.ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES,
+    )
+
+
 @router.get("/me", response_model=UserResponse)
 async def get_current_user(current_user: CurrentUser):
     """Get current user profile from the JWT token."""
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_auth_endpoints.py b/backend/tests/test_auth_endpoints.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..127494a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_auth_endpoints.py
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+"""Integration tests for the auth endpoints (register + login).
+
+These tests hit the real FastAPI app against the real configured database
+(DATABASE_URL -- Postgres via Alembic migrations in CI/dev, not an isolated
+in-memory DB), so they exercise the full stack: Pydantic validation → DB →
+JWT → response. Requires migrations already applied (alembic upgrade head)
+before running.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_sessionmaker, create_async_engine
+from sqlalchemy.pool import NullPool
+
+from app.config import settings
+from app.main import app
+from app.database import get_db
+from app.routers.auth import pwd_context
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Test fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _override_db():
+    """Override get_db so the app uses a fresh session per test.
+
+    Deliberately does NOT reuse app.database's shared engine: FastAPI's
+    (sync) TestClient runs each request through anyio's blocking-portal
+    machinery, which can hand different requests different event loops.
+    asyncpg connections are bound to the loop they were created on, so
+    reusing one from the shared engine's connection pool across requests
+    raises "cannot perform operation: another operation is in progress" the
+    moment a test makes more than one request (register-then-login,
+    register-twice, etc.) -- confirmed this is the actual cause, not a bug
+    in the endpoints themselves. NullPool sidesteps it: every checkout is a
+    brand-new connection, never handed to a different loop than the one
+    that opened it.
+    """
+    test_engine = create_async_engine(settings.DATABASE_URL, poolclass=NullPool)
+    test_session_factory = async_sessionmaker(test_engine, expire_on_commit=False)
+
+    async def _get_db():
+        async_session = test_session_factory()
+        try:
+            yield async_session
+            await async_session.commit()
+        except Exception:
+            await async_session.rollback()
+            raise
+        finally:
+            await async_session.close()
+
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = _get_db
+    yield
+    app.dependency_overrides.clear()
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Register endpoint
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestRegister:
+    """Tests for POST /api/auth/register."""
+
+    def test_register_success(self):
+        """A valid registration returns 201 with a token."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "newuser",
+                "email": "new@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 201
+        data = resp.json()
+        assert "access_token" in data
+        assert data["token_type"] == "bearer"
+
+    def test_register_rejects_underage(self):
+        """Users under 18 get a 400 with a detail message."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "kid",
+                "email": "kid@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2010-06-15",  # ~15 years old
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 400
+        assert "18 or older" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_register_rejects_duplicate_username(self):
+        """Registering the same username twice returns 409."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        # First registration
+        client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "duplicate",
+                "email": "dup1@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        # Second registration with same username, different email
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "duplicate",
+                "email": "dup2@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 409
+        assert "Username already registered" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_register_rejects_duplicate_email(self):
+        """Registering the same email twice returns 409."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "user1",
+                "email": "same@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "user2",
+                "email": "same@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 409
+        assert "Email already registered" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_register_invalid_date_format(self):
+        """Invalid date format returns 422 validation error."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "user",
+                "email": "user@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "01-01-2000",  # wrong format
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 422
+
+    def test_register_exactly_18(self):
+        """A user who just turned 18 can register."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "just18",
+                "email": "just18@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2007-06-15",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 201
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Login endpoint
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestLogin:
+    """Tests for POST /api/auth/login."""
+
+    def _create_user(self, username: str, password: str, email: str = None):
+        """Helper to create a user via register."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        if email is None:
+            email = f"{username}@example.com"
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": username,
+                "email": email,
+                "password": password,
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 201
+        return resp.json()["access_token"]
+
+    def test_login_success(self):
+        """Correct credentials return a token."""
+        self._create_user("loginuser", "correctpass")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "loginuser", "password": "correctpass"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        data = resp.json()
+        assert "access_token" in data
+        assert data["token_type"] == "bearer"
+
+    def test_login_wrong_password(self):
+        """Wrong password returns 401."""
+        # Distinct username from test_login_success -- there's no per-test
+        # DB rollback/isolation here (real Postgres via the app's own
+        # dependency-overridden session), so reusing "loginuser" collided
+        # with the user that test already created (409 on register instead
+        # of the intended 401-on-login assertion this test is actually for).
+        self._create_user("loginuser_wrongpass", "correctpass")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "loginuser_wrongpass", "password": "wrongpass"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 401
+        assert "Incorrect username or password" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_login_nonexistent_user(self):
+        """Non-existent user returns 401 (not 404)."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "nobody", "password": "any"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 401
+        assert "Incorrect username or password" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_login_accepts_form_encoded(self):
+        """Login accepts application/x-www-form-urlencoded (OAuth2)."""
+        self._create_user("formuser", "formpass")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "formuser", "password": "formpass"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert "access_token" in resp.json()
+
+    def test_login_token_is_valid_jwt(self):
+        """The returned token is a valid JWT that can be decoded."""
+        self._create_user("jwttoken", "jwt123")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "jwttoken", "password": "jwt123"},
+        )
+        token = resp.json()["access_token"]
+        # Verify it's a 3-part JWT
+        parts = token.split(".")
+        assert len(parts) == 3
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_refresh_endpoint.py b/backend/tests/test_refresh_endpoint.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92e4322
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_refresh_endpoint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+"""Tests for the POST /api/auth/refresh endpoint.
+
+These tests exercise the full stack: register → get refresh token →
+refresh → new access token.  Requires migrations already applied
+(alembic upgrade head) before running.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_sessionmaker, create_async_engine
+from sqlalchemy.pool import NullPool
+
+from app.config import settings
+from app.main import app
+from app.database import get_db
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Test fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _override_db():
+    """Override get_db so the app uses a fresh session per test."""
+    test_engine = create_async_engine(settings.DATABASE_URL, poolclass=NullPool)
+    test_session_factory = async_sessionmaker(test_engine, expire_on_commit=False)
+
+    async def _get_db():
+        async_session = test_session_factory()
+        try:
+            yield async_session
+            await async_session.commit()
+        except Exception:
+            await async_session.rollback()
+            raise
+        finally:
+            await async_session.close()
+
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = _get_db
+    yield
+    app.dependency_overrides.clear()
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Refresh endpoint tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestRefresh:
+    """Tests for POST /api/auth/refresh."""
+
+    def _register_user(self, username: str, password: str, email: str = None):
+        """Helper to register a user and return the refresh token."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        if email is None:
+            email = f"{username}@example.com"
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": username,
+                "email": email,
+                "password": password,
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 201
+        return resp.json()["refresh_token"]
+
+    def test_refresh_success(self):
+        """A valid refresh token returns a new access token."""
+        refresh_token = self._register_user("refep_refreshuser", "secret123")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        data = resp.json()
+        assert "access_token" in data
+        assert data["token_type"] == "bearer"
+        # The refresh token in the response is the same one we sent
+        assert data["refresh_token"] == refresh_token
+
+    def test_refresh_returns_different_access_token(self):
+        """Refreshing produces a new access token (different from any previous)."""
+        refresh_token = self._register_user("refep_refreshtoken", "secret123")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+
+        # First refresh
+        resp1 = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp1.status_code == 200
+        access_token_1 = resp1.json()["access_token"]
+
+        # Second refresh
+        resp2 = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp2.status_code == 200
+        access_token_2 = resp2.json()["access_token"]
+
+        # Each refresh should produce a new access token
+        assert access_token_1 != access_token_2
+
+    def test_refresh_invalid_token(self):
+        """An invalid (garbage) refresh token returns 401."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": "not.a.jwt.token"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 401
+        assert "Invalid or expired refresh token" in resp.json()["detail"]
+
+    def test_refresh_empty_body(self):
+        """Missing refresh_token field returns 422 validation error."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 422
+
+    def test_refresh_missing_field(self):
+        """No body at all returns 422."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            content="{}",
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 422
+
+    def test_refresh_with_login_token(self):
+        """A refresh token obtained from login also works for /refresh."""
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        # Register first
+        client.post(
+            "/api/auth/register",
+            json={
+                "username": "refep_loginrefuser",
+                "email": "loginref@example.com",
+                "password": "secret123",
+                "date_of_birth": "2000-01-01",
+            },
+        )
+        # Login to get a refresh token
+        login_resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login",
+            data={"username": "refep_loginrefuser", "password": "secret123"},
+        )
+        assert login_resp.status_code == 200
+        refresh_token = login_resp.json()["refresh_token"]
+
+        # Use it to refresh
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert "access_token" in resp.json()
+
+    def test_refresh_access_token_is_valid_jwt(self):
+        """The access token returned by /refresh is a valid JWT."""
+        from jose import jwt
+
+        refresh_token = self._register_user("refep_jwttoken", "secret123")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        access_token = resp.json()["access_token"]
+
+        # Verify it's a 3-part JWT
+        parts = access_token.split(".")
+        assert len(parts) == 3
+
+        # Verify it decodes with the public key
+        payload = jwt.decode(
+            access_token,
+            settings.public_pem,
+            algorithms=[settings.ALGORITHM],
+        )
+        assert "sub" in payload
+        assert "exp" in payload
+
+    def test_refresh_expires_minutes_in_response(self):
+        """The response includes access_token_expires_minutes."""
+        refresh_token = self._register_user("refep_expiretest", "secret123")
+        client = TestClient(app)
+        resp = client.post(
+            "/api/auth/refresh",
+            json={"refresh_token": refresh_token},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert "access_token_expires_minutes" in resp.json()
+        assert resp.json()["access_token_expires_minutes"] == settings.ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES
diff --git a/scripts/smoke_test_auth.gd b/scripts/smoke_test_auth.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63dfc22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/smoke_test_auth.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+extends SceneTree
+## Headless smoke test for the AuthPanel login/register flow.
+##
+## Run with:
+##     godot --headless --path . --script res://scripts/smoke_test_auth.gd
+##
+## Requires the backend to be running (default base URL
+## `application/agp/api_base_url` -> http://127.0.0.1:8000).
+##
+## Tests:
+##   1. Register a unique user → 201 + token stored.
+##   2. Register the same user again → 409 "Username already registered".
+##   3. Register an under-18 user → 400 "Must be 18 or older".
+##   4. Login with correct credentials → 200 + token stored.
+##   5. Login with wrong password → 401 "Incorrect username or password".
+##   6. Login with non-existent user → 401 "Incorrect username or password".
+##
+## Exits 0 on full pass, 1 on any failure.
+
+const API_BASE := "http://127.0.0.1:8000"
+const TEST_USERNAME := "smoke_test_user_%d"
+const TEST_EMAIL := "smoke_%d@test.example.com"
+const TEST_PASSWORD := "SmokeTest123!"
+const TEST_DOB_ADULT := "2000-01-01"
+const TEST_DOB_CHILD := "2020-01-01"  # ~5 years old
+
+
+func _initialize() -> void:
+	_run()
+
+
+func _run() -> void:
+	# Wait for autoloads to be ready.
+	await process_frame
+
+	var api := root.get_node("ApiClient") as ApiClient
+	assert(api != null, "ApiClient autoload not found")
+
+	var passed: int = 0
+	var failed: int = 0
+
+	# --- Test 1: Register a unique user ---
+	var unique_id := Time.get_ticks_msec()
+	var username := "smoke_%d" % unique_id
+	var email := "smoke_%d@test.example.com" % unique_id
+
+	print("\n=== Test 1: Register unique user ===")
+	var result := await api.register(username, email, TEST_PASSWORD, TEST_DOB_ADULT)
+	if _check("register returns ok", result.ok) \
+			and _check("register status is 201", result.status == 201) \
+			and _check("register stores token", api.has_token()):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Test 2: Register same user again (duplicate) ---
+	print("\n=== Test 2: Duplicate username ===")
+	result = await api.register(username, email, TEST_PASSWORD, TEST_DOB_ADULT)
+	if _check("duplicate register not ok", not result.ok) \
+			and _check("duplicate status is 409", result.status == 409) \
+			and _check("duplicate detail mentions username",
+					"username" in result.detail.to_lower()):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Test 3: Register under-18 user ---
+	print("\n=== Test 3: Under-18 registration ===")
+	var child_username := "child_%d" % unique_id
+	var child_email := "child_%d@test.example.com" % unique_id
+	result = await api.register(child_username, child_email, TEST_PASSWORD, TEST_DOB_CHILD)
+	if _check("under-18 register not ok", not result.ok) \
+			and _check("under-18 status is 400", result.status == 400) \
+			and _check("under-18 detail mentions age",
+					"18" in result.detail):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Test 4: Login with correct credentials ---
+	print("\n=== Test 4: Correct login ===")
+	result = await api.login(username, TEST_PASSWORD)
+	if _check("login returns ok", result.ok) \
+			and _check("login status is 200", result.status == 200) \
+			and _check("login stores token", api.has_token()):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Test 5: Login with wrong password ---
+	print("\n=== Test 5: Wrong password ===")
+	result = await api.login(username, "WrongPassword!")
+	if _check("wrong pwd login not ok", not result.ok) \
+			and _check("wrong pwd status is 401", result.status == 401) \
+			and _check("wrong pwd detail",
+					"Incorrect" in result.detail or "incorrect" in result.detail):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Test 6: Login with non-existent user ---
+	print("\n=== Test 6: Non-existent user ===")
+	result = await api.login("nonexistent_user_xyz", TEST_PASSWORD)
+	if _check("missing user login not ok", not result.ok) \
+			and _check("missing user status is 401", result.status == 401) \
+			and _check("missing user detail",
+					"Incorrect" in result.detail or "incorrect" in result.detail):
+		passed += 1
+	else:
+		failed += 1
+		print("  detail: ", result.detail)
+
+	# --- Summary ---
+	print("\n=== SMOKE RESULT: %d/%d passed ===" % [passed, passed + failed])
+	if failed > 0:
+		quit(1)
+	else:
+		print("SMOKE RESULT: ALL PASS")
+		quit(0)
+
+
+func _check(description: String, condition: bool) -> bool:
+	if condition:
+		print("  PASS: ", description)
+		return true
+	else:
+		printerr("  FAIL: ", description)
+		return false