diff --git a/middleware/jwt.go b/middleware/jwt.go
index 8432cef7..7f811989 100644
--- a/middleware/jwt.go
+++ b/middleware/jwt.go
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ type (
 		// - "header:<name>"
 		// - "query:<name>"
 		TokenLookup string `json:"token_lookup"`
+
+		// Claims are extendable claims data defining token content.
+		// Optional. Default value jwt.MapClaims
+		Claims jwt.Claims
 	}
 
 	jwtExtractor func(echo.Context) (string, error)
@@ -56,6 +60,7 @@ var (
 		SigningMethod: AlgorithmHS256,
 		ContextKey:    "user",
 		TokenLookup:   "header:" + echo.HeaderAuthorization,
+		Claims:        jwt.MapClaims{},
 	}
 )
 
@@ -91,6 +96,9 @@ func JWTWithConfig(config JWTConfig) echo.MiddlewareFunc {
 	if config.TokenLookup == "" {
 		config.TokenLookup = DefaultJWTConfig.TokenLookup
 	}
+	if config.Claims == nil {
+		config.Claims = DefaultJWTConfig.Claims
+	}
 
 	// Initialize
 	parts := strings.Split(config.TokenLookup, ":")
@@ -110,7 +118,7 @@ func JWTWithConfig(config JWTConfig) echo.MiddlewareFunc {
 			if err != nil {
 				return echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusBadRequest, err.Error())
 			}
-			token, err := jwt.Parse(auth, func(t *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
+			token, err := jwt.ParseWithClaims(auth, config.Claims, func(t *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
 				// Check the signing method
 				if t.Method.Alg() != config.SigningMethod {
 					return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected jwt signing method=%v", t.Header["alg"])
diff --git a/middleware/jwt_test.go b/middleware/jwt_test.go
index e35e6d3e..cd2518c6 100644
--- a/middleware/jwt_test.go
+++ b/middleware/jwt_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,18 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
+// CustomInfo defines some custom types we're going to use within our tokens
+type CustomInfo struct {
+	Name  string `json:"name"`
+	Admin bool   `json:"admin"`
+}
+
+// MyCustomClaims are custom claims expanding default ones
+type MyCustomClaims struct {
+	*jwt.StandardClaims
+	CustomInfo
+}
+
 func TestJWT(t *testing.T) {
 	e := echo.New()
 	req := test.NewRequest(echo.GET, "/", nil)
@@ -49,9 +61,23 @@ func TestJWT(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, claims["name"], "John Doe")
 	}
 
+	// Valid JWT with custom claims
+	config = JWTConfig{
+		Claims:     &MyCustomClaims{},
+		SigningKey: []byte("secret"),
+	}
+	h = JWTWithConfig(config)(handler)
+	if assert.NoError(t, h(c)) {
+		user := c.Get("user").(*jwt.Token)
+		claims := user.Claims.(*MyCustomClaims)
+		assert.Equal(t, claims.Name, "John Doe")
+		assert.Equal(t, claims.Admin, true)
+	}
+
 	// Invalid Authorization header
 	req.Header().Set(echo.HeaderAuthorization, "invalid-auth")
 	h = JWT([]byte("secret"))(handler)
 	he = h(c).(*echo.HTTPError)
 	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusBadRequest, he.Code)
+
 }