diff --git a/src/main/proxy-functions/shell-api-request.ts b/src/main/proxy-functions/shell-api-request.ts
index 828629c6dd..e431ffad4a 100644
--- a/src/main/proxy-functions/shell-api-request.ts
+++ b/src/main/proxy-functions/shell-api-request.ts
@@ -63,15 +63,7 @@ export class ShellRequestAuthenticator extends Singleton {
     }
 
     const authToken = clusterTokens.get(tabId);
-    const buf = Uint8Array.from(token.split(",").map(ar => {
-      const res = +ar;
-
-      if (isNaN(res)) {
-        throw new TypeError("Token must be a CSV list of digits");
-      }
-
-      return res;
-    }));
+    const buf = Uint8Array.from(Buffer.from(token, "base64"));
 
     if (authToken instanceof Uint8Array && crypto.timingSafeEqual(authToken, buf)) {
       // remove the token because it is a single use token
diff --git a/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts b/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
index a6a76a8757..84099ad3b5 100644
--- a/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export class TerminalApi extends WebSocketApi {
       pathname: "/api",
       query: {
         ...this.query,
-        shellToken: authTokenArray.toString(),
+        shellToken: Buffer.from(authTokenArray).toString("base64"),
       },
       slashes: true,
     });