diff --git a/test/api/unit/middlewares/auth.test.js b/test/api/unit/middlewares/auth.test.js
index f4a9324189..b75e339d63 100644
--- a/test/api/unit/middlewares/auth.test.js
+++ b/test/api/unit/middlewares/auth.test.js
@@ -60,5 +60,20 @@ describe('auth middleware', () => {
         return done();
       });
     });
+
+    it('errors with InvalidCredentialsError and code when token is wrong', done => {
+      const authWithHeaders = authWithHeadersFactory({ userFieldsToExclude: [] });
+
+      req.headers['x-api-user'] = user._id;
+      req.headers['x-api-key'] = 'totally-wrong-token';
+
+      authWithHeaders(req, res, err => {
+        expect(err).to.exist;
+        expect(err.name).to.equal('InvalidCredentialsError');
+        expect(err.code).to.equal('invalid_credentials');
+        expect(err.message).to.equal(res.t('invalidCredentials'));
+        return done();
+      });
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/website/client/src/app.vue b/website/client/src/app.vue
index 839b297e0a..5b72ea8782 100644
--- a/website/client/src/app.vue
+++ b/website/client/src/app.vue
@@ -223,11 +223,10 @@ export default {
 
         const errorData = error.response.data;
         const errorMessage = errorData.message || errorData;
+        const errorCode = errorData.error;
 
-        // Check for conditions to reset the user auth
-        // TODO use a specific error like NotificationNotFound instead of checking for the string
-        const invalidUserMessage = [this.$t('invalidCredentials'), 'Missing authentication headers.'];
-        if (invalidUserMessage.indexOf(errorMessage) !== -1) {
+        // If 'invalid_credentials' signaled, force logout
+        if (error.response.status === 401 && errorCode === 'invalid_credentials') {
           this.$store.dispatch('auth:logout', { redirectToLogin: true });
           return null;
         }
diff --git a/website/server/libs/errors.js b/website/server/libs/errors.js
index 2b570dbb7e..0e3a2f0486 100644
--- a/website/server/libs/errors.js
+++ b/website/server/libs/errors.js
@@ -117,3 +117,27 @@ export class InternalServerError extends CustomError {
     this.message = customMessage || 'An unexpected error occurred.';
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * @apiDefine InvalidCredentials
+ * @apiError InvalidCredentials The user’s credentials are no longer valid.
+ *
+ * @apiNote
+ *   The 'invalid_credentials' error code is language-agnostic:
+ *   clients should use this code (regardless of locale or translated message)
+ *   to unambiguously trigger a user logout.
+ *
+ * @apiErrorExample Error-Response:
+ *     HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
+ *     {
+ *       "error": "invalid_credentials",
+ *       "message": "There is no account that uses those credentials."
+ *     }
+ */
+export class InvalidCredentialsError extends NotAuthorized {
+  constructor (message) {
+    super(message);
+    this.name = this.constructor.name;
+    this.code = 'invalid_credentials';
+  }
+}
diff --git a/website/server/middlewares/auth.js b/website/server/middlewares/auth.js
index f5d5614847..ff1db6fd5b 100644
--- a/website/server/middlewares/auth.js
+++ b/website/server/middlewares/auth.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 import nconf from 'nconf';
 import url from 'url';
 import {
+  InvalidCredentialsError,
   NotAuthorized,
 } from '../libs/errors';
 import {
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ export function authWithHeaders (options = {}) {
       .exec()
       .then(user => {
         if (!user || apiToken !== user.apiToken) {
-          throw new NotAuthorized(res.t('invalidCredentials'));
+          throw new InvalidCredentialsError(res.t('invalidCredentials'));
         }
 
         if (user.auth.blocked) {
diff --git a/website/server/middlewares/errorHandler.js b/website/server/middlewares/errorHandler.js
index bd317a2b4a..c3cdf11fab 100644
--- a/website/server/middlewares/errorHandler.js
+++ b/website/server/middlewares/errorHandler.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export default function errorHandler (err, req, res, next) { // eslint-disable-l
 
   const jsonRes = {
     success: false,
-    error: responseErr.name,
+    error: responseErr.code || responseErr.name,
     message: responseErr.message,
   };