diff --git a/backend/chainlit/auth.py b/backend/chainlit/auth.py
index 0812d5dba2..5a9bd70a77 100644
--- a/backend/chainlit/auth.py
+++ b/backend/chainlit/auth.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ def is_oauth_enabled():
 
 def require_login():
     return (
-        config.code.password_auth_callback is not None
+        bool(os.environ.get("CHAINLIT_CUSTOM_AUTH"))
+        or config.code.password_auth_callback is not None
         or config.code.header_auth_callback is not None
         or is_oauth_enabled()
     )
diff --git a/backend/chainlit/socket.py b/backend/chainlit/socket.py
index 76ec9c8533..339e6e7f1a 100644
--- a/backend/chainlit/socket.py
+++ b/backend/chainlit/socket.py
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ async def connect(sid, environ, auth):
             token = authorization_header.split(" ")[1] if authorization_header else None
             user = await get_current_user(token=token)
     except Exception as e:
+        logger.info("Authentication failed")
         return False
 
     # Function to send a message to this particular session
diff --git a/libs/react-client/README.md b/libs/react-client/README.md
index 5c46baa39a..6f056c875e 100644
--- a/libs/react-client/README.md
+++ b/libs/react-client/README.md
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const ChatComponent = () => {
       userEnv: {
         /* user environment variables */
       },
-      accessToken: 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN' // Optional Chainlit auth token
+      accessToken: 'Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN' // Optional Chainlit auth token
     });
 
     return () => {
diff --git a/libs/react-client/package.json b/libs/react-client/package.json
index f1ef626424..cbb4b8b7cc 100644
--- a/libs/react-client/package.json
+++ b/libs/react-client/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@chainlit/react-client",
   "description": "Websocket client to connect to your chainlit app.",
-  "version": "0.0.2",
+  "version": "0.0.3",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsup src/index.ts --clean --format esm,cjs --dts  --external react --external recoil --minify --sourcemap --treeshake",
     "dev": "tsup src/index.ts --clean --format esm,cjs --dts  --external react --external recoil --minify --sourcemap --treeshake",
diff --git a/libs/react-client/src/useChatSession.ts b/libs/react-client/src/useChatSession.ts
index 862c3ca43a..29266870b0 100644
--- a/libs/react-client/src/useChatSession.ts
+++ b/libs/react-client/src/useChatSession.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,14 @@ const useChatSession = () => {
     }
   }, [session]);
 
-  return { connect, disconnect, chatProfile, idToResume, setChatProfile };
+  return {
+    connect,
+    disconnect,
+    session,
+    chatProfile,
+    idToResume,
+    setChatProfile
+  };
 };
 
 export { useChatSession };