diff --git a/backend/.env.example b/backend/.env.example
index 2267539..015def8 100644
--- a/backend/.env.example
+++ b/backend/.env.example
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ INFURA_API_KEY=
 MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL="https://matrix.dgov.io"
 MATRIX_USER="forum-api"
 MATRIX_PASSWORD=
+MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN=
 BOT_STORAGE_PATH="./data/bot-storage.json"
 BOT_CRYPTO_STORAGE_PATH="./data/bot-crypto"
 BOT_INSTANCE_ID=
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 0c6cc19..ecae0a0 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
   "description": "",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
+    "login": "node scripts/matrix-login"
   },
   "author": "",
   "license": "ISC",
diff --git a/backend/scripts/matrix-login.js b/backend/scripts/matrix-login.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76c544b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/scripts/matrix-login.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const {
+  MatrixAuth,
+} = require('matrix-bot-sdk');
+
+const {
+  MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
+  MATRIX_USER,
+  MATRIX_PASSWORD,
+} = process.env;
+
+const login = async () => {
+  console.log(`MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL="${MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL}"`);
+  const auth = new MatrixAuth(MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL);
+  const client = await auth.passwordLogin(MATRIX_USER, MATRIX_PASSWORD);
+  console.log(`MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN="${client.accessToken}"`);
+};
+
+login();
diff --git a/backend/src/matrix.js b/backend/src/matrix.js
index f5c225a..3ae7401 100644
--- a/backend/src/matrix.js
+++ b/backend/src/matrix.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const {
   AutojoinRoomsMixin,
-  MatrixAuth,
   MatrixClient,
   RustSdkCryptoStorageProvider,
   SimpleFsStorageProvider,
@@ -11,8 +10,7 @@ const { appState, proposalEventIds } = require('./db');
 
 const {
   MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
-  MATRIX_USER,
-  MATRIX_PASSWORD,
+  MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN,
   BOT_STORAGE_PATH,
   BOT_CRYPTO_STORAGE_PATH,
   BOT_INSTANCE_ID,
@@ -50,11 +48,9 @@ outboundQueue.pause();
 
 const start = async () => {
   console.log('MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL:', MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL);
-  const auth = new MatrixAuth(MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL);
-  const authClient = await auth.passwordLogin(MATRIX_USER, MATRIX_PASSWORD);
   client = new MatrixClient(
     MATRIX_HOMESERVER_URL,
-    authClient.accessToken,
+    MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN,
     storageProvider,
     cryptoProvider,
   );