diff --git a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/controller/RadarProjectController.java b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/controller/RadarProjectController.java
index f51de00d..ba1e321f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/controller/RadarProjectController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/controller/RadarProjectController.java
@@ -129,27 +129,8 @@ public ResponseEntity<ProjectDto> addProject(
   public ResponseEntity<ProjectDto> updateProject(
       @Valid @PathParam("projectId") String projectId, @Valid @RequestBody ProjectDto projectDto,
       HttpServletRequest request) {
-
-    if (authorization != null) {
-      RadarToken token = (RadarToken) request.getAttribute(AuthAspect.TOKEN_KEY);
-      if (authorization.hasPermission(
-              token,
-              AuthPermissions.UPDATE,
-              AuthEntities.SUBJECT,
-              PermissionOn.PROJECT,
-              projectDto.getProjectId(),
-              null,
-              null)) {
-        ProjectDto projectDto1 = this.projectService.updateProject(projectDto);
-        return ResponseEntity.ok(projectDto1);
-      } else {
-        throw new AuthorizationFailedException(
-                "The token does not have permission for the project " + projectDto.getProjectId());
-      }
-    } else {
       ProjectDto projectDto1 = this.projectService.updateProject(projectDto);
       return ResponseEntity.ok(projectDto1);
-    }
   }
 
   @Authorized(permission = AuthPermissions.READ, entity = AuthEntities.PROJECT)
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/exception/handler/ResponseEntityExceptionHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/exception/handler/ResponseEntityExceptionHandler.java
index 980edd59..d111119b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/exception/handler/ResponseEntityExceptionHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/exception/handler/ResponseEntityExceptionHandler.java
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ExceptionHandler;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ResponseStatus;
 import org.springframework.web.context.request.WebRequest;
+import radar.spring.auth.exception.AuthorizationFailedException;
+import radar.spring.auth.exception.ResourceForbiddenException;
 
 import java.time.Instant;
 
@@ -27,6 +29,15 @@ public final ResponseEntity<ErrorDetails> handleUnhandledException(Exception ex,
         return new ResponseEntity<>(error, status);
     }
 
+    @ExceptionHandler(AuthorizationFailedException.class)
+    public final ResponseEntity<ErrorDetails> handleAuthorizationFailedException(Exception ex, WebRequest request) throws Exception {
+        return handleEntityWithCause(ex, request);
+    }
+
+    @ExceptionHandler(ResourceForbiddenException.class)
+    public final ResponseEntity<ErrorDetails> handleResourceForbiddenException(Exception ex, WebRequest request) throws Exception {
+        return handleEntityWithCause(ex, request);
+    }
 
     @ExceptionHandler(InvalidProjectDetailsException.class)
     public final ResponseEntity<ErrorDetails> handleInvalidProjectDetailsException(Exception ex, WebRequest request) throws Exception {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/service/GithubClient.java b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/service/GithubClient.java
index c9af99be..f502e259 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/service/GithubClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/radarbase/appserver/service/GithubClient.java
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public class GithubClient {
     public GithubClient(
             @Value("${security.github.client.timeout:10}") int httpTimeout,
             @Value("${security.github.client.token:}") String githubToken) {
-        this.authorizationHeader = githubToken != null ? "Bearer " + githubToken.trim() : "";
+        this.authorizationHeader = githubToken.isEmpty() ? "" : "Bearer " + githubToken.trim();
         this.httpTimeout = Duration.ofSeconds(httpTimeout);
         this.client = HttpClient.newBuilder()
                 .version(HttpClient.Version.HTTP_1_1)
@@ -76,31 +76,36 @@ public GithubClient(
                 .build();
     }
 
-    public String getGithubContent(String url) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
+    public String getGithubContent(String url, boolean authenticated) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
         log.debug("Fetching Github URL {}", url);
-        URI uri = URI.create(url);
-        HttpResponse<InputStream> response = makeRequest(uri);
+        HttpResponse<InputStream> response = makeRequest(getRequest(URI.create(url), authenticated));
 
         if (response.statusCode() >= 200 && response.statusCode() < 300) {
             checkContentLengthHeader(response);
-
             try (InputStream inputStream = response.body()) {
                 byte[] bytes = inputStream.readNBytes(maxContentLength + 1);
                 checkContentLength(bytes.length);
                 return new String(bytes);
             }
+        } else if (response.statusCode() == 401 && authenticated) {
+            log.warn("Unauthorized access to Github content from URL {}, retrying..", url);
+            return getGithubContent(url, false);
         } else {
             log.error("Error getting Github content from URL {} : {}", url, response);
             throw new ResponseStatusException(
                     HttpStatus.valueOf(response.statusCode()), "Github content could not be retrieved");
-        }
+        }     
+    }
+
+    public String getGithubContent(String url) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
+        return getGithubContent(url, true);
     }
 
-    private HttpResponse<InputStream> makeRequest(URI uri) throws InterruptedException {
+    private HttpResponse<InputStream> makeRequest(HttpRequest request) throws InterruptedException {
         try {
-            return client.send(getRequest(uri), HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofInputStream());
+            return client.send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofInputStream());
         } catch (IOException ex) {
-            log.error("Failed to retrieve data from github {}: {}", uri, ex.toString());
+            log.error("Failed to retrieve data from github {}: {}", request.uri(), ex.toString());
             throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_GATEWAY, "Github responded with an error.");
         }
     }
@@ -136,13 +141,14 @@ public URI getValidGithubUri(URI uri) throws IOException {
         }
     }
 
-    private HttpRequest getRequest(URI uri) throws IOException {
+    private HttpRequest getRequest(URI uri, boolean authenticated) throws IOException {
         URI validUri = this.getValidGithubUri(uri);
         HttpRequest.Builder request = HttpRequest.newBuilder(validUri)
                 .header("Accept", GITHUB_API_ACCEPT_HEADER)
                 .GET()
                 .timeout(httpTimeout);
-        if (!authorizationHeader.isEmpty()) {
+        if (!this.authorizationHeader.isEmpty() && authenticated) {
+            log.info("Adding authorization header to request");
             request.header("Authorization", authorizationHeader);
         }
         return request.build();