diff --git a/deno_dist/middleware/jwt/index.ts b/deno_dist/middleware/jwt/index.ts
index 490177fd6..13d5d64d7 100644
--- a/deno_dist/middleware/jwt/index.ts
+++ b/deno_dist/middleware/jwt/index.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export const jwt = (options: {
   cookie?: string
   alg?: SignatureAlgorithm
 }): MiddlewareHandler => {
-  if (!options) {
+  if (!options || !options.secret) {
     throw new Error('JWT auth middleware requires options for "secret')
   }
 
diff --git a/src/middleware/jwt/index.ts b/src/middleware/jwt/index.ts
index 28a082a30..b47919ddd 100644
--- a/src/middleware/jwt/index.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/jwt/index.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export const jwt = (options: {
   cookie?: string
   alg?: SignatureAlgorithm
 }): MiddlewareHandler => {
-  if (!options) {
+  if (!options || !options.secret) {
     throw new Error('JWT auth middleware requires options for "secret')
   }