diff --git a/routers/http.py b/routers/http.py
index e0e69bd..f9afa7e 100644
--- a/routers/http.py
+++ b/routers/http.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 from schema import HTTPPayload, QuestionModel, ResponseModel
-from services.api_key import api_key_header
+from services.api_key import get_api_key
 from utils.persist_payload import PersistPayload
 from worker.tasks import ask_question_auto_search
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class RequestPayload(BaseModel):
 router = APIRouter()
 
 
-@router.post("/ask", dependencies=[Depends(api_key_header)])
+@router.post("/ask", dependencies=[Depends(get_api_key)])
 async def ask(payload: RequestPayload):
     query = payload.question.message
     community_id = payload.communityId
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ async def ask(payload: RequestPayload):
     return {"id": task.id}
 
 
-@router.get("/status", dependencies=[Depends(api_key_header)])
+@router.get("/status", dependencies=[Depends(get_api_key)])
 async def status(task_id: str):
     task = AsyncResult(task_id)
     if task.status == "SUCCESS":
diff --git a/services/api_key.py b/services/api_key.py
index a7c60c2..9e522f2 100644
--- a/services/api_key.py
+++ b/services/api_key.py
@@ -10,6 +10,24 @@
 
 
 async def get_api_key(api_key_header: str = Security(api_key_header)):
+    """
+    Dependency function to validate API key
+
+    Parameters
+    -------------
+    api_key_header : str
+        the api key passed to the header
+
+    Raises
+    ------
+    HTTPException
+        If API key is missing or invalid
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    api_key_header : str
+        The validated API key
+    """
     validator = ValidateAPIKey()
 
     if not api_key_header:
@@ -17,7 +35,8 @@ async def get_api_key(api_key_header: str = Security(api_key_header)):
             status_code=HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED, detail="No API key provided"
         )
 
-    if not validator.validate(api_key_header):
+    valid = await validator.validate(api_key_header)
+    if not valid:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED, detail="Invalid API key")
 
     return api_key_header
@@ -29,7 +48,7 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.db = "hivemind"
         self.tokens_collection = "tokens"
 
-    def validate(self, api_key: str) -> bool:
+    async def validate(self, api_key: str) -> bool:
         """
         check if the api key is available in mongodb or not
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_validate_token.py b/tests/integration/test_validate_token.py
index b4771c1..ccb121a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_validate_token.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_validate_token.py
@@ -1,30 +1,50 @@
-from unittest import TestCase
+from unittest import IsolatedAsyncioTestCase
 
 from services.api_key import ValidateAPIKey
 from utils.mongo import MongoSingleton
 
 
-class TestValidateToken(TestCase):
-    def setUp(self) -> None:
+class TestValidateToken(IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
+    async def asyncSetUp(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Set up test case with a test database
+        """
         self.client = MongoSingleton.get_instance().get_client()
         self.validator = ValidateAPIKey()
 
-        # changing the db so not to overlap with the right ones
+        # Using test database to avoid affecting production data
         self.validator.db = "hivemind_test"
         self.validator.tokens_collection = "tokens_test"
 
-        self.client.drop_database(self.validator.db)
+        # Clean start for each test
+        self.clean_database()
+
+    async def asyncTearDown(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Clean up test database after each test
+        """
+        self.clean_database()
 
-    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+    def clean_database(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Helper method to clean the test database
+        """
         self.client.drop_database(self.validator.db)
 
-    def test_no_token_available(self):
+    async def test_no_token_available(self):
+        """
+        Test validation when no tokens exist in database
+        """
         api_key = "1234"
-        valid = self.validator.validate(api_key)
+        valid = await self.validator.validate(api_key)
 
         self.assertEqual(valid, False)
 
-    def test_no_matching_token_available(self):
+    async def test_no_matching_token_available(self):
+        """
+        Test validation when tokens exist but none match
+        """
+        # Insert test tokens - no await needed as this is synchronous
         self.client[self.validator.db][self.validator.tokens_collection].insert_many(
             [
                 {
@@ -44,13 +64,18 @@ def test_no_matching_token_available(self):
                 },
             ]
         )
+
         api_key = "1234"
-        valid = self.validator.validate(api_key)
+        valid = await self.validator.validate(api_key)
 
         self.assertEqual(valid, False)
 
-    def test_single_token_available(self):
+    async def test_single_token_available(self):
+        """
+        Test validation when matching token exists
+        """
         api_key = "1234"
+
         self.client[self.validator.db][self.validator.tokens_collection].insert_many(
             [
                 {
@@ -70,6 +95,15 @@ def test_single_token_available(self):
                 },
             ]
         )
-        valid = self.validator.validate(api_key)
+
+        valid = await self.validator.validate(api_key)
 
         self.assertEqual(valid, True)
+
+    async def test_validation_with_empty_api_key(self):
+        """
+        Test validation with empty API key
+        """
+        valid = await self.validator.validate("")
+
+        self.assertEqual(valid, False)