diff --git a/lib/jwt/claims.rb b/lib/jwt/claims.rb
index dde6838a..581facf3 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/claims.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt/claims.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 require_relative 'claims/audience'
+require_relative 'claims/crit'
+require_relative 'claims/decode_verifier'
 require_relative 'claims/expiration'
 require_relative 'claims/issued_at'
 require_relative 'claims/issuer'
@@ -9,9 +11,8 @@
 require_relative 'claims/numeric'
 require_relative 'claims/required'
 require_relative 'claims/subject'
-require_relative 'claims/decode_verifier'
-require_relative 'claims/verifier'
 require_relative 'claims/verification_methods'
+require_relative 'claims/verifier'
 
 module JWT
   # JWT Claim verifications
@@ -27,7 +28,6 @@ module JWT
   # sub
   # required
   # numeric
-  #
   module Claims
     # Represents a claim verification error
     Error = Struct.new(:message, keyword_init: true)
diff --git a/lib/jwt/claims/crit.rb b/lib/jwt/claims/crit.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac339eb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jwt/claims/crit.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module JWT
+  module Claims
+    # Responsible of validation the crit header
+    class Crit
+      # Initializes a new Crit instance.
+      #
+      # @param expected_crits [String] the expected crit header values for the JWT token.
+      def initialize(expected_crits:)
+        @expected_crits = Array(expected_crits)
+      end
+
+      # Verifies the critical claim ('crit') in the JWT token header.
+      #
+      # @param context [Object] the context containing the JWT payload and header.
+      # @param _args [Hash] additional arguments (not used).
+      # @raise [JWT::InvalidCritError] if the crit claim is invalid.
+      # @return [nil]
+      def verify!(context:, **_args)
+        raise(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header missing') unless context.header['crit']
+        raise(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header should be an array') unless context.header['crit'].is_a?(Array)
+
+        missing = (expected_crits - context.header['crit'])
+        raise(JWT::InvalidCritError, "Crit header missing expected values: #{missing.join(', ')}") if missing.any?
+
+        nil
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      attr_reader :expected_crits
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/jwt/claims/verifier.rb b/lib/jwt/claims/verifier.rb
index c75a4eb9..81ce8a23 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/claims/verifier.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt/claims/verifier.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Verifier
         jti: ->(options) { Claims::JwtId.new(validator: options[:jti]) },
         aud: ->(options) { Claims::Audience.new(expected_audience: options[:aud]) },
         sub: ->(options) { Claims::Subject.new(expected_subject: options[:sub]) },
-
+        crit: ->(options) { Claims::Crit.new(expected_crits: options[:crit]) },
         required: ->(options) { Claims::Required.new(required_claims: options[:required]) },
         numeric: ->(*)        { Claims::Numeric.new }
       }.freeze
diff --git a/lib/jwt/encoded_token.rb b/lib/jwt/encoded_token.rb
index cdaacddd..0264c51e 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/encoded_token.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt/encoded_token.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class EncodedToken
     # @param jwt [String] the encoded JWT token.
     # @raise [ArgumentError] if the provided JWT is not a String.
     def initialize(jwt)
-      raise ArgumentError 'Provided JWT must be a String' unless jwt.is_a?(String)
+      raise ArgumentError, 'Provided JWT must be a String' unless jwt.is_a?(String)
 
       @jwt = jwt
       @encoded_header, @encoded_payload, @encoded_signature = jwt.split('.')
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def header
     #
     # @return [Hash] the payload.
     def payload
-      @payload ||= encoded_payload == '' ? raise(JWT::DecodeError, 'Encoded payload is empty') : parse_and_decode(encoded_payload)
+      @payload ||= decode_payload
     end
 
     # Sets or returns the encoded payload of the JWT token.
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def verify_signature!(algorithm:, key: nil, key_finder: nil)
       raise ArgumentError, 'Provide either key or key_finder, not both or neither' if key.nil? == key_finder.nil?
 
       key ||= key_finder.call(self)
+
       return if valid_signature?(algorithm: algorithm, key: key)
 
       raise JWT::VerificationError, 'Signature verification failed'
@@ -107,8 +108,31 @@ def valid_signature?(algorithm:, key:)
 
     private
 
+    def decode_payload
+      raise JWT::DecodeError, 'Encoded payload is empty' if encoded_payload == ''
+
+      if unecoded_payload?
+        verify_claims!(crit: ['b64'])
+        return parse_unencoded(encoded_payload)
+      end
+
+      parse_and_decode(encoded_payload)
+    end
+
+    def unecoded_payload?
+      header['b64'] == false
+    end
+
     def parse_and_decode(segment)
-      JWT::JSON.parse(::JWT::Base64.url_decode(segment))
+      parse(::JWT::Base64.url_decode(segment))
+    end
+
+    def parse_unencoded(segment)
+      parse(segment)
+    end
+
+    def parse(segment)
+      JWT::JSON.parse(segment)
     rescue ::JSON::ParserError
       raise JWT::DecodeError, 'Invalid segment encoding'
     end
diff --git a/lib/jwt/error.rb b/lib/jwt/error.rb
index d6ea9e91..f17ac537 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/error.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt/error.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ class InvalidAudError < DecodeError; end
   # The InvalidSubError class is raised when the JWT subject (sub) claim is invalid.
   class InvalidSubError < DecodeError; end
 
+  # The InvalidCritError class is raised when the JWT crit header is invalid.
+  class InvalidCritError < DecodeError; end
+
   # The InvalidJtiError class is raised when the JWT ID (jti) claim is invalid.
   class InvalidJtiError < DecodeError; end
 
diff --git a/spec/jwt/claims/crit_spec.rb b/spec/jwt/claims/crit_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b08c455
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/jwt/claims/crit_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+RSpec.describe JWT::Claims::Crit do
+  subject(:verify!) { described_class.new(expected_crits: expected_crits).verify!(context: SpecSupport::Token.new(header: header)) }
+  let(:expected_crits) { [] }
+  let(:header) { {} }
+
+  context 'when header is missing' do
+    it 'raises JWT::InvalidCritError' do
+      expect { verify! }.to raise_error(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header missing')
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when header is not an array' do
+    let(:header) { { 'crit' => 'not_an_array' } }
+
+    it 'raises JWT::InvalidCritError' do
+      expect { verify! }.to raise_error(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header should be an array')
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when header is an array and not containing the expected value' do
+    let(:header) { { 'crit' => %w[crit1] } }
+    let(:expected_crits) { %w[crit2] }
+    it 'raises an InvalidCritError' do
+      expect { verify! }.to raise_error(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header missing expected values: crit2')
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when header is an array containing exactly the expected values' do
+    let(:header) { { 'crit' => %w[crit1 crit2] } }
+    let(:expected_crits) { %w[crit1 crit2] }
+    it 'does not raise an error' do
+      expect(verify!).to eq(nil)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when header is an array containing at least the expected values' do
+    let(:header) { { 'crit' => %w[crit1 crit2 crit3] } }
+    let(:expected_crits) { %w[crit1 crit2] }
+    it 'does not raise an error' do
+      expect(verify!).to eq(nil)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/jwt/encoded_token_spec.rb b/spec/jwt/encoded_token_spec.rb
index 77688d10..4cc46fdb 100644
--- a/spec/jwt/encoded_token_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jwt/encoded_token_spec.rb
@@ -2,13 +2,15 @@
 
 RSpec.describe JWT::EncodedToken do
   let(:payload) { { 'pay' => 'load' } }
-  let(:encoded_token) { JWT.encode(payload, 'secret', 'HS256') }
+  let(:header) { {} }
+  let(:encoded_token) { JWT::Token.new(payload: payload, header: header).tap { |t| t.sign!(algorithm: 'HS256', key: 'secret') }.jwt }
   let(:detached_payload_token) do
     JWT::Token.new(payload: payload).tap do |t|
       t.detach_payload!
       t.sign!(algorithm: 'HS256', key: 'secret')
     end
   end
+
   subject(:token) { described_class.new(encoded_token) }
 
   describe '#payload' do
@@ -28,6 +30,26 @@
         end
       end
     end
+
+    context 'when payload is not encoded and the b64 crit is enabled' do
+      subject(:token) { described_class.new(encoded_token) }
+      let(:encoded_token) { 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImI2NCI6ZmFsc2UsImNyaXQiOlsiYjY0Il19..signature' }
+      before { token.encoded_payload = '{"foo": "bar"}' }
+
+      it 'does not raise' do
+        expect(token.payload).to eq({ 'foo' => 'bar' })
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when payload is not encoded and the b64 crit is NOT enabled' do
+      let(:encoded_token) { 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImI2NCI6ZmFsc2UsImNyaXQiOlsiYjY0Il19..signature' }
+      before { token.encoded_payload = '{"foo": "bar"}' }
+
+      it 'raises an error' do
+        pending 'Need to decide how to handle this case'
+        expect { token.payload }.to raise_error
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#header' do
@@ -99,6 +121,17 @@
         expect { token.verify_signature!(algorithm: 'HS256', key: 'key', key_finder: 'finder') }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, 'Provide either key or key_finder, not both or neither')
       end
     end
+
+    context 'when payload is not encoded' do
+      let(:encoded_token) { 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImI2NCI6ZmFsc2UsImNyaXQiOlsiYjY0Il19..A5dxf2s96_n5FLueVuW1Z_vh161FwXZC4YLPff6dmDY' }
+      before { token.encoded_payload = '$.02' }
+
+      let(:key) { Base64.urlsafe_decode64('AyM1SysPpbyDfgZld3umj1qzKObwVMkoqQ-EstJQLr_T-1qS0gZH75aKtMN3Yj0iPS4hcgUuTwjAzZr1Z9CAow') }
+
+      it 'does not raise' do
+        expect(token.verify_signature!(algorithm: 'HS256', key: key)).to eq(nil)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#verify_claims!' do
@@ -150,6 +183,22 @@
         end
       end
     end
+
+    context 'when header contains crits header' do
+      let(:header) { { crit: ['b64'] } }
+
+      context 'when expected crits are missing' do
+        it 'raises an error' do
+          expect { token.verify_claims!(crit: ['other']) }.to raise_error(JWT::InvalidCritError, 'Crit header missing expected values: other')
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'when expected crits are present' do
+        it 'passes verification' do
+          expect { token.verify_claims!(crit: ['b64']) }.not_to raise_error
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#valid_claims?' do
diff --git a/spec/spec_support/token.rb b/spec/spec_support/token.rb
index 8dd7de4b..e076aae1 100644
--- a/spec/spec_support/token.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_support/token.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module SpecSupport
-  Token = Struct.new(:payload, keyword_init: true)
+  Token = Struct.new(:payload, :header, keyword_init: true)
 end