diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/status.py b/backend/app/api/routes/status.py
index 106af8c..4f1d012 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/status.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/status.py
@@ -11,11 +11,23 @@ _connections: list[WebSocket] = []
 
 
 @router.websocket("/ws/status")
-async def ws_status(websocket: WebSocket, token: str | None = None) -> None:
-    if not token or not decode_token(token):
-        await websocket.close(code=1008)  # Policy Violation
-        return
+async def ws_status(websocket: WebSocket) -> None:
+    # Accept first so we can send a close frame with a reason code
     await websocket.accept()
+    try:
+        # Expect the first message to be a JSON auth payload: {"token": "<jwt>"}
+        raw = await websocket.receive_text()
+        try:
+            payload = json.loads(raw)
+            token = payload.get("token", "")
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, AttributeError):
+            token = ""
+        if not token or not decode_token(token):
+            await websocket.close(code=1008)  # Policy Violation
+            return
+    except WebSocketDisconnect:
+        return
+
     _connections.append(websocket)
     try:
         while True:
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_status.py b/backend/tests/test_status.py
index aa0d148..b9dfcba 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_status.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_status.py
@@ -22,24 +22,33 @@ def _make_token() -> str:
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 def test_websocket_rejected_without_token():
-    """Connection with no token must be closed before being accepted."""
-    with TestClient(app) as client, pytest.raises(WebSocketDisconnect), client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status"):
-        pass
+    """Connection that sends no token field must be closed with 1008."""
+    with TestClient(app) as client, pytest.raises(WebSocketDisconnect), client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status") as ws:
+        ws.send_text(json.dumps({}))  # missing token field
+        ws.receive_text()  # triggers WebSocketDisconnect from server close
 
 
 def test_websocket_rejected_with_invalid_token():
-    """Connection with a garbage token must be closed."""
-    with TestClient(app) as client, pytest.raises(WebSocketDisconnect), client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status?token=not-a-valid-jwt"):
-        pass
+    """Connection that sends a garbage token must be closed."""
+    with TestClient(app) as client, pytest.raises(WebSocketDisconnect), client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status") as ws:
+        ws.send_text(json.dumps({"token": "not-a-valid-jwt"}))
+        ws.receive_text()
+
+
+def test_websocket_rejected_with_malformed_json():
+    """Connection that sends non-JSON as auth must be closed."""
+    with TestClient(app) as client, pytest.raises(WebSocketDisconnect), client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status") as ws:
+        ws.send_text("not-json")
+        ws.receive_text()
 
 
 def test_websocket_accepted_with_valid_token():
-    """Connection with a valid JWT must be accepted and kept open."""
+    """Connection that sends a valid JWT as first message must be accepted."""
     token = _make_token()
-    with TestClient(app) as client, client.websocket_connect(f"/api/v1/status/ws/status?token={token}") as ws:
-        # Connection is open — we can send a ping and it should not raise
+    with TestClient(app) as client, client.websocket_connect("/api/v1/status/ws/status") as ws:
+        ws.send_text(json.dumps({"token": token}))
+        # Connection is open — subsequent messages should not raise
         ws.send_text("ping")
-            # Server keeps the connection open (no disconnect expected)
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useStatusPolling.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useStatusPolling.ts
index 5d5cbf7..192a005 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useStatusPolling.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useStatusPolling.ts
@@ -24,11 +24,16 @@ export function useStatusPolling() {
 
     const protocol = window.location.protocol === 'https:' ? 'wss' : 'ws'
     const host = window.location.host  // includes port when non-standard
-    const url = `${protocol}://${host}/api/v1/status/ws/status?token=${encodeURIComponent(token)}`
+    const url = `${protocol}://${host}/api/v1/status/ws/status`
 
     const ws = new WebSocket(url)
     wsRef.current = ws
 
+    // Send token as first message (not in URL to avoid log/history exposure)
+    ws.onopen = () => {
+      ws.send(JSON.stringify({ token }))
+    }
+
     ws.onmessage = (event) => {
       try {
         const msg: StatusMessage = JSON.parse(event.data)