diff --git a/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py b/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
index 7219364..468ae79 100644
--- a/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
+++ b/python/mujinwebstackclient/controllerwebclientraw.py
@@ -258,5 +258,9 @@ def CallGraphAPI(self, query, variables=None, headers=None, timeout=5.0):
         return content['data']
 
     def UpdateJsonWebToken(self, jsonWebToken):
-        self._session.auth = None
-        self._headers['Authorization'] = 'Bearer ' + jsonWebToken
+        if jsonWebToken == '':
+            self._session.auth = None
+            self._headers['Authorization'] = 'Bearer ' + jsonWebToken
+        else:
+            self._session.auth = requests_auth.HTTPBasicAuth(self._username, self._password)
+            self._headers.pop('Authorization', None)
diff --git a/python/mujinwebstackclient/webstackclient.py b/python/mujinwebstackclient/webstackclient.py
index 91cef8a..2659147 100644
--- a/python/mujinwebstackclient/webstackclient.py
+++ b/python/mujinwebstackclient/webstackclient.py
@@ -206,10 +206,12 @@ def Login(self, timeout=5):
         """
         try:
             self.jsonWebToken = self.graphApi.Login(username=self.controllerusername, password=self.controllerpassword, fields={'jsonWebToken': None})['jsonWebToken']
-            self._webclient.UpdateJsonWebToken(self.jsonWebToken)
         except Exception as e:
+            self.jsonWebToken = ''
             log.debug('failed to login through graphql api, use basic HTTP authorization: %s', e)
             self.Ping(timeout=timeout)
+        finally:
+            self._webclient.UpdateJsonWebToken(self.jsonWebToken)
 
     def Ping(self, timeout=5):
         """Sends a dummy HEAD request to api endpoint