diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index d746d1ed6..d8fe2473a 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
     "linkifyjs": "~2.1.8",
     "lodash": "~4.17.11",
     "merge-graphql-schemas": "^1.5.8",
-    "ms": "~2.1.1",
     "neo4j-driver": "~1.7.4",
     "neo4j-graphql-js": "git+https://github.com/Human-Connection/neo4j-graphql-js.git#temporary_fixes",
     "node-fetch": "~2.6.0",
diff --git a/backend/src/jwt/encode.js b/backend/src/jwt/encode.js
index 97c6dcd66..1552804cc 100644
--- a/backend/src/jwt/encode.js
+++ b/backend/src/jwt/encode.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken'
-import ms from 'ms'
 import CONFIG from './../config'
 
 // Generate an Access Token for the given User ID
 export default function encode(user) {
   const token = jwt.sign(user, CONFIG.JWT_SECRET, {
-    expiresIn: ms('1d'),
+    expiresIn: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000, // one day
     issuer: CONFIG.GRAPHQL_URI,
     audience: CONFIG.CLIENT_URI,
     subject: user.id.toString(),
diff --git a/backend/yarn.lock b/backend/yarn.lock
index 28c2b8b55..698ca32a5 100644
--- a/backend/yarn.lock
+++ b/backend/yarn.lock
@@ -5522,7 +5522,7 @@ ms@2.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/ms/-/ms-2.0.0.tgz#5608aeadfc00be6c2901df5f9861788de0d597c8"
   integrity sha1-VgiurfwAvmwpAd9fmGF4jeDVl8g=
 
-ms@2.1.1, ms@^2.1.1, ms@~2.1.1:
+ms@2.1.1, ms@^2.1.1:
   version "2.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/ms/-/ms-2.1.1.tgz#30a5864eb3ebb0a66f2ebe6d727af06a09d86e0a"
   integrity sha512-tgp+dl5cGk28utYktBsrFqA7HKgrhgPsg6Z/EfhWI4gl1Hwq8B/GmY/0oXZ6nF8hDVesS/FpnYaD/kOWhYQvyg==