diff --git a/leaderboard/leaderboard.py b/leaderboard/leaderboard.py
index 77cfffb..a216c12 100644
--- a/leaderboard/leaderboard.py
+++ b/leaderboard/leaderboard.py
@@ -107,14 +107,8 @@ class Leaderboard(commands.Cog):
                 try:
                     async with self.session.get(
                         f"{self.api_base_url}/leaderboard",
-                        headers={"Authorization": f"Token {self.admin_secret['admin_secret']}"}
+                        headers={"Authorization": self.admin_secret["admin_secret"]}
                     ) as resp:
-                        try:
-                            data = await resp.json()
-                        except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
-                            log.error("API returned invalid JSON response during initialization")
-                            return
-
                         if resp.status == 200:
                             # Start auto-sync task if API connection successful
                             self.auto_sync_task = self.bot.loop.create_task(self._auto_sync_task())
@@ -123,8 +117,12 @@ class Leaderboard(commands.Cog):
                             log.error("Failed to initialize API: Invalid admin secret")
                         else:
                             log.error(f"Failed to initialize API: Status {resp.status}")
-                            if data.get("error"):
-                                log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                            try:
+                                data = await resp.json()
+                                if data.get("error"):
+                                    log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                            except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
+                                log.error("API returned invalid JSON response during initialization")
                 except aiohttp.ClientError as e:
                     log.error(f"Failed to connect to API: {str(e)}")
         except Exception as e:
@@ -264,7 +262,7 @@ class Leaderboard(commands.Cog):
             async with self.session.post(
                 f"{self.api_base_url}/leaderboard",
                 headers={
-                    "Authorization": f"Token {self.admin_secret['admin_secret']}",
+                    "Authorization": self.admin_secret["admin_secret"],
                     "Content-Type": "application/json"
                 },
                 json={
@@ -274,24 +272,26 @@ class Leaderboard(commands.Cog):
                     "optedOut": opted_out
                 }
             ) as resp:
-                try:
-                    data = await resp.json()
-                except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
-                    log.error(f"API returned invalid JSON response with status {resp.status}")
-                    return False
-
                 if resp.status == 200:
-                    if data.get("success"):
-                        log.info(f"Updated leaderboard for {username}: {credits} credits (opted_out: {opted_out})")
-                        return True
-                    else:
-                        log.error(f"API update failed: {data.get('error', 'Unknown error')}")
+                    try:
+                        data = await resp.json()
+                        if data.get("success"):
+                            log.info(f"Updated leaderboard for {username}: {credits} credits (opted_out: {opted_out})")
+                            return True
+                        else:
+                            log.error(f"API update failed: {data.get('error', 'Unknown error')}")
+                    except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
+                        log.error("API returned invalid JSON response")
                 elif resp.status == 401:
                     log.error("Unauthorized: Invalid admin secret")
                 else:
                     log.error(f"API update failed: Status {resp.status}")
-                    if data.get("error"):
-                        log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                    try:
+                        data = await resp.json()
+                        if data.get("error"):
+                            log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                    except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
+                        pass
                 return False
         except aiohttp.ClientError as e:
             log.error(f"API request failed: {str(e)}")
@@ -308,24 +308,26 @@ class Leaderboard(commands.Cog):
         try:
             async with self.session.get(
                 f"{self.api_base_url}/leaderboard",
-                headers={"Authorization": f"Token {self.admin_secret['admin_secret']}"}
+                headers={"Authorization": self.admin_secret["admin_secret"]}
             ) as resp:
-                try:
-                    data = await resp.json()
-                except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
-                    log.error(f"API returned invalid JSON response with status {resp.status}")
-                    return None
-
                 if resp.status == 200:
-                    if "leaderboard" in data:
-                        return data["leaderboard"]
-                    log.error("Invalid API response format")
+                    try:
+                        data = await resp.json()
+                        if "leaderboard" in data:
+                            return data["leaderboard"]
+                        log.error("Invalid API response format")
+                    except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
+                        log.error("API returned invalid JSON response")
                 elif resp.status == 401:
                     log.error("Unauthorized: Invalid admin secret")
                 else:
                     log.error(f"Failed to fetch leaderboard: Status {resp.status}")
-                    if data.get("error"):
-                        log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                    try:
+                        data = await resp.json()
+                        if data.get("error"):
+                            log.error(f"Error message: {data['error']}")
+                    except aiohttp.ContentTypeError:
+                        pass
                 return None
         except aiohttp.ClientError as e:
             log.error(f"Error fetching leaderboard: {str(e)}")