diff --git a/src/database.nim b/src/database.nim
index a17d916..f52911e 100644
--- a/src/database.nim
+++ b/src/database.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
-import norm/[model, postgres]
+import std/logging
+import norm/model
+import norm/postgres except error
 import types/[users, files]
 import config/config
 
+info "connecting to database.\n"
 let db* = open(cfg.dbHost, cfg.dbUser, cfg.dbPassword, cfg.dbDatabase)
 db.createTables(newFile()) # file objects require a user object, thus a tables for both are created
+info "connected to database.\n"
diff --git a/src/routes/auth.nim b/src/routes/auth.nim
index dbe7983..a2dccc0 100644
--- a/src/routes/auth.nim
+++ b/src/routes/auth.nim
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ proc createAuthenticationRoutes*() =
 
       if not H"Authorization".isEmptyOrWhitespace():
         if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-          respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+          resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
         db.generateToken(user)
 
diff --git a/src/routes/delete.nim b/src/routes/delete.nim
index 7da4625..5e1d375 100644
--- a/src/routes/delete.nim
+++ b/src/routes/delete.nim
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ proc createDeletionRoutes*(cfg: Cfg) =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       discard waitFor purgeUserFiles(H"Authorization")
       db.delete(user)
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ proc createDeletionRoutes*(cfg: Cfg) =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       db.delete(user)
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ proc createDeletionRoutes*(cfg: Cfg) =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       var file = newFile()
       try:
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ proc createDeletionRoutes*(cfg: Cfg) =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       var listOfFiles = @[newFile()]
       try:
diff --git a/src/routes/download.nim b/src/routes/download.nim
index ea5628f..9d3fc91 100644
--- a/src/routes/download.nim
+++ b/src/routes/download.nim
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ proc createDownloadRoutes*() =
 
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       var file = newFile()
       try:
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ proc createDownloadRoutes*() =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       var listOfFiles = @[newFile()]
       try:
diff --git a/src/routes/update.nim b/src/routes/update.nim
index 94363f7..e40a193 100644
--- a/src/routes/update.nim
+++ b/src/routes/update.nim
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ proc createUpdateRoutes*() =
       debug "Endpoint used.\n" & reqInfo
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       let
         oldName = H"Old name"
diff --git a/src/routes/upload.nim b/src/routes/upload.nim
index 3cbe330..0cbacbf 100644
--- a/src/routes/upload.nim
+++ b/src/routes/upload.nim
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ proc createUploadRoutes*(cfg: Cfg) =
       # fills the new `user` var with saved user data from database
       var user = newUser()
       if not db.validToken(user, H"Authorization"):
-        respErr "Invalid token.\n"
+        resp Http403, "Invalid token.\n"
 
       # pull request form data arguments
       let fileData = request.formData["file"].body
diff --git a/src/types/files.nim b/src/types/files.nim
index 1c8aa4d..98bdbb7 100644
--- a/src/types/files.nim
+++ b/src/types/files.nim
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import std/logging
 import norm/[model, pragmas]
 import ./users
 
@@ -9,7 +10,8 @@ type File* = ref object of Model
   tags*: string #? This is a temporary hack should be `seq[string]` or `JsonNode` instead
 
               # creates a new file object and sets default values, recommended by the norm documentation
-func newFile*(user: User = newUser(), path: string = "", name: string = "",
+proc newFile*(user: User = newUser(), path: string = "", name: string = "",
     tags: string = ""): File =
   inc user.fileCount
+  debug "Creating new file.\n"
   File(owner: user, path: path, name: name, tags: tags)
diff --git a/src/types/users.nim b/src/types/users.nim
index 0a442a9..94966cd 100644
--- a/src/types/users.nim
+++ b/src/types/users.nim
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import std/oids
-import norm/[model, postgres, pragmas]
+import std/[oids, logging]
+import norm/[model, pragmas]
+import norm/postgres except error
 import checksums/sha3
 
 # define user object
@@ -12,19 +13,25 @@ type User* = ref object of Model
 
 # checks if the provided token exists in the database
 proc validToken*(db: DbConn, user: var User, token: string): bool =
+  debug "Validating token.\n"
   try:
     db.select(user, """"token" = $1""", token)
+    debug "Valid token.\n"
     return true
   except NotFoundError:
+    error "Invalid token.\n"
     return false
 
 # update user's token using a newly generated token
 proc generateToken*(db: DbConn, user: var User) =
+  debug "Creating new token.\n"
   user.token = $Sha3_512.secureHash($genoid())
   db.update(user)
+  debug "Created new token.\n"
 
 # creates a new user object and sets default values, recommended by the norm documentation
 proc newUser*(username: string = "", email: string = "",
     password: string = ""): User =
+  debug "Created new user.\n"
   User(username: username, email: email, password: $Sha3_512.secureHash(
       password), token: $Sha3_512.secureHash($genoid()))