diff --git a/lib/jwt.rb b/lib/jwt.rb
index c5810091..238d11ca 100644
--- a/lib/jwt.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'base64'
 require 'openssl'
+require 'jwt/decode'
 require 'jwt/json'
 
 # JSON Web Token implementation
@@ -71,11 +72,6 @@ def sign_hmac(algorithm, msg, key)
     OpenSSL::HMAC.digest(OpenSSL::Digest.new(algorithm.sub('HS', 'sha')), key, msg)
   end
 
-  def base64url_decode(str)
-    str += '=' * (4 - str.length.modulo(4))
-    Base64.decode64(str.tr('-_', '+/'))
-  end
-
   def base64url_encode(str)
     Base64.encode64(str).tr('+/', '-_').gsub(/[\n=]/, '')
   end
@@ -107,34 +103,10 @@ def encode(payload, key, algorithm = 'HS256', header_fields = {})
     segments.join('.')
   end
 
-  def raw_segments(jwt, verify = true)
-    segments = jwt.split('.')
-    required_num_segments = verify ? [3] : [2, 3]
-    fail(JWT::DecodeError, 'Not enough or too many segments') unless required_num_segments.include? segments.length
-    segments
-  end
-
-  def decode_header_and_payload(header_segment, payload_segment)
-    header = decode_json(base64url_decode(header_segment))
-    payload = decode_json(base64url_decode(payload_segment))
-    [header, payload]
-  end
-
-  def decoded_segments(jwt, verify = true)
-    header_segment, payload_segment, crypto_segment = raw_segments(jwt, verify)
-    header, payload = decode_header_and_payload(header_segment, payload_segment)
-    signature = base64url_decode(crypto_segment.to_s) if verify
-    signing_input = [header_segment, payload_segment].join('.')
-    [header, payload, signature, signing_input]
-  end
-
-  def decode(jwt, key = nil, verify = true, options = {}, &keyfinder)
+  def decode(jwt, key = nil, verify = true, custom_options = {}, &keyfinder)
     fail(JWT::DecodeError, 'Nil JSON web token') unless jwt
 
-    header, payload, signature, signing_input = decoded_segments(jwt, verify)
-    fail(JWT::DecodeError, 'Not enough or too many segments') unless header && payload
-
-    default_options = {
+    options = {
       verify_expiration: true,
       verify_not_before: true,
       verify_iss: false,
@@ -145,42 +117,22 @@ def decode(jwt, key = nil, verify = true, options = {}, &keyfinder)
       leeway: 0
     }
 
-    options = default_options.merge(options)
+    merged_options = options.merge(custom_options)
+
+    decoder = Decode.new jwt, key, verify, merged_options, &keyfinder
+    header, payload, signature, signing_input = decoder.decode_segments
+    decoder.verify
+
+    fail(JWT::DecodeError, 'Not enough or too many segments') unless header && payload
 
     if verify
       algo, key = signature_algorithm_and_key(header, key, &keyfinder)
-      if options[:algorithm] && algo != options[:algorithm]
+      if merged_options[:algorithm] && algo != merged_options[:algorithm]
         fail JWT::IncorrectAlgorithm, 'Expected a different algorithm'
       end
       verify_signature(algo, key, signing_input, signature)
     end
 
-    if options[:verify_expiration] && payload.include?('exp')
-      fail(JWT::ExpiredSignature, 'Signature has expired') unless payload['exp'].to_i > (Time.now.to_i - options[:leeway])
-    end
-    if options[:verify_not_before] && payload.include?('nbf')
-      fail(JWT::ImmatureSignature, 'Signature nbf has not been reached') unless payload['nbf'].to_i <= (Time.now.to_i + options[:leeway])
-    end
-    if options[:verify_iss] && options[:iss]
-      fail(JWT::InvalidIssuerError, "Invalid issuer. Expected #{options[:iss]}, received #{payload['iss'] || '<none>'}") unless payload['iss'].to_s == options[:iss].to_s
-    end
-    if options[:verify_iat] && payload.include?('iat')
-      fail(JWT::InvalidIatError, 'Invalid iat') unless payload['iat'].is_a?(Integer) && payload['iat'].to_i <= (Time.now.to_i + options[:leeway])
-    end
-    if options[:verify_aud] && options[:aud]
-      if payload[:aud].is_a?(Array)
-        fail(JWT::InvalidAudError, 'Invalid audience') unless payload['aud'].include?(options[:aud].to_s)
-      else
-        fail(JWT::InvalidAudError, "Invalid audience. Expected #{options[:aud]}, received #{payload['aud'] || '<none>'}") unless payload['aud'].to_s == options[:aud].to_s
-      end
-    end
-    if options[:verify_sub] && options.include?(:sub)
-      fail(JWT::InvalidSubError, "Invalid subject. Expected #{options[:sub]}, received #{payload['sub'] || '<none>'}") unless payload['sub'].to_s == options[:sub].to_s
-    end
-    if options[:verify_jti]
-      fail(JWT::InvalidJtiError, 'Missing jti') if payload['jti'].to_s == ''
-    end
-
     [payload, header]
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/jwt/decode.rb b/lib/jwt/decode.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae205734
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jwt/decode.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+require 'jwt/json'
+require 'jwt/verify'
+
+# JWT::Decode module
+module JWT
+  extend JWT::Json
+
+  # Decoding logic for JWT
+  class Decode
+    attr_reader :header, :payload, :signature
+
+    def initialize(jwt, key, verify, options, &keyfinder)
+      @jwt = jwt
+      @key = key
+      @verify = verify
+      @options = options
+      @keyfinder = keyfinder
+    end
+
+    def decode_segments
+      header_segment, payload_segment, crypto_segment = raw_segments(@jwt, @verify)
+      @header, @payload = decode_header_and_payload(header_segment, payload_segment)
+      @signature = base64url_decode(crypto_segment.to_s) if @verify
+      signing_input = [header_segment, payload_segment].join('.')
+      [@header, @payload, @signature, signing_input]
+    end
+
+    def raw_segments(jwt, verify)
+      segments = jwt.split('.')
+      required_num_segments = verify ? [3] : [2, 3]
+      fail(JWT::DecodeError, 'Not enough or too many segments') unless required_num_segments.include? segments.length
+      segments
+    end
+    private :raw_segments
+
+    def decode_header_and_payload(header_segment, payload_segment)
+      header = JWT.decode_json(base64url_decode(header_segment))
+      payload = JWT.decode_json(base64url_decode(payload_segment))
+      [header, payload]
+    end
+    private :decode_header_and_payload
+
+    def base64url_decode(str)
+      str += '=' * (4 - str.length.modulo(4))
+      Base64.decode64(str.tr('-_', '+/'))
+    end
+    private :base64url_decode
+
+    def verify
+      @options.each do |key, val|
+        next unless key.to_s.match(/verify/)
+
+        Verify.send(key, payload, @options) if val
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/jwt/verify.rb b/lib/jwt/verify.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79ba21ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jwt/verify.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+module JWT
+  # JWT verify methods
+  module Verify
+    def self.verify_expiration(payload, options)
+      return unless payload.include?('exp')
+
+      if payload['exp'].to_i < (Time.now.to_i - options[:leeway])
+        fail(JWT::ExpiredSignature, 'Signature has expired')
+      end
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_not_before(payload, options)
+      return unless payload.include?('nbf')
+
+      if payload['nbf'].to_i > (Time.now.to_i + options[:leeway])
+        fail(JWT::ImmatureSignature, 'Signature nbf has not been reached')
+      end
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_iss(payload, options)
+      return unless options[:iss]
+
+      if payload['iss'].to_s != options[:iss].to_s
+        fail(
+          JWT::InvalidIssuerError,
+          "Invalid issuer. Expected #{options[:iss]}, received #{payload['iss'] || '<none>'}"
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_iat(payload, options)
+      return unless payload.include?('iat')
+
+      if !(payload['iat'].is_a?(Integer)) || payload['iat'].to_i > (Time.now.to_i + options[:leeway])
+        fail(JWT::InvalidIatError, 'Invalid iat')
+      end
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_jti(payload, _options)
+      fail(JWT::InvalidJtiError, 'Missing jti') if payload['jti'].to_s == ''
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_aud(payload, options)
+      return unless options[:aud]
+
+      if payload[:aud].is_a?(Array)
+        fail(
+          JWT::InvalidAudError,
+          'Invalid audience'
+        ) unless payload['aud'].include?(options[:aud].to_s)
+      else
+        fail(
+          JWT::InvalidAudError,
+          "Invalid audience. Expected #{options[:aud]}, received #{payload['aud'] || '<none>'}"
+        ) unless payload['aud'].to_s == options[:aud].to_s
+      end
+    end
+
+    def self.verify_sub(payload, options)
+      return unless options[:sub]
+
+
+      fail(
+        JWT::InvalidSubError,
+        "Invalid subject. Expected #{options[:sub]}, received #{payload['sub'] || '<none>'}"
+      ) unless payload['sub'].to_s == options[:sub].to_s
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/jwt_spec.rb b/spec/jwt_spec.rb
index 5f83fc33..2bd98e81 100644
--- a/spec/jwt_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jwt_spec.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 require 'jwt'
+require 'jwt/decode'
 
 describe JWT do
   let(:payload) { { 'user_id' => 'some@user.tld' } }
@@ -340,8 +341,8 @@
       end
 
       let :invalid_token do
-        new_payload = payload.merge('sub' => 'we are not the druids you are looking for')
-        JWT.encode new_payload, data[:secret]
+        invalid_payload = payload.merge('sub' => 'we are not the druids you are looking for')
+        JWT.encode invalid_payload, data[:secret]
       end
 
       it 'invalid sub should raise JWT::InvalidSubError' do