diff --git a/.changeset/mighty-pugs-knock.md b/.changeset/mighty-pugs-knock.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e2f52fc4ed8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/mighty-pugs-knock.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+'@clerk/clerk-sdk-node': major
+'@clerk/backend': major
+'@clerk/nextjs': major
+---
+
+Change the response payload of Backend API requests to return `{ data, errors }` instead of return the data and throwing on error response.
+Code example to keep the same behavior:
+```typescript
+import { users } from '@clerk/backend';
+import { ClerkAPIResponseError } from '@clerk/shared/error';
+
+const { data, errors, clerkTraceId, status, statusText } = await users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
+if(errors){
+    throw new ClerkAPIResponseError(statusText, { data: errors, status, clerkTraceId });
+}
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/api/factory.test.ts b/packages/backend/src/api/factory.test.ts
index 8210c6d0416..88be8073ebd 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/api/factory.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/api/factory.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import sinon from 'sinon';
 import emailJson from '../fixtures/responses/email.json';
 import userJson from '../fixtures/responses/user.json';
 import runtime from '../runtime';
+import { assertErrorResponse, assertResponse } from '../util/assertResponse';
 import { jsonError, jsonNotOk, jsonOk } from '../util/mockFetch';
 import { createBackendApiClient } from './factory';
 
@@ -26,14 +27,10 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       fakeFetch = sinon.stub(runtime, 'fetch');
       fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonOk(userJson));
 
-      const payload = await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
+      const response = await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
 
-      if (!payload) {
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-conditional-assertions
-        assert.false(true, 'This assertion should never fail. We need to check for payload to make TS happy.');
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-early-return
-        return;
-      }
+      assertResponse(assert, response);
+      const { data: payload } = response;
 
       assert.equal(payload.firstName, 'John');
       assert.equal(payload.lastName, 'Doe');
@@ -41,7 +38,6 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       assert.equal(payload.phoneNumbers[0].phoneNumber, '+311-555-2368');
       assert.equal(payload.externalAccounts[0].emailAddress, 'john.doe@clerk.test');
       assert.equal(payload.publicMetadata.zodiac_sign, 'leo');
-      // assert.equal(payload.errors, null);
 
       assert.ok(
         fakeFetch.calledOnceWith('https://api.clerk.test/v1/users/user_deadbeef', {
@@ -59,14 +55,9 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       fakeFetch = sinon.stub(runtime, 'fetch');
       fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonOk([userJson]));
 
-      const payload = await apiClient.users.getUserList({ offset: 2, limit: 5 });
-
-      if (!payload) {
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-conditional-assertions
-        assert.false(true, 'This assertion should never fail. We need to check for payload to make TS happy.');
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-early-return
-        return;
-      }
+      const response = await apiClient.users.getUserList({ offset: 2, limit: 5 });
+      assertResponse(assert, response);
+      const { data: payload } = response;
 
       assert.equal(payload[0].firstName, 'John');
       assert.equal(payload[0].lastName, 'Doe');
@@ -74,7 +65,6 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       assert.equal(payload[0].phoneNumbers[0].phoneNumber, '+311-555-2368');
       assert.equal(payload[0].externalAccounts[0].emailAddress, 'john.doe@clerk.test');
       assert.equal(payload[0].publicMetadata.zodiac_sign, 'leo');
-      // assert.equal(payload.errors, null);
 
       assert.ok(
         fakeFetch.calledOnceWith('https://api.clerk.test/v1/users?offset=2&limit=5', {
@@ -100,14 +90,10 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       };
       const requestBody =
         '{"from_email_name":"foobar123","email_address_id":"test@test.dev","body":"this is a test","subject":"this is a test"}';
-      const payload = await apiClient.emails.createEmail(body);
-
-      if (!payload) {
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-conditional-assertions
-        assert.false(true, 'This assertion should never fail. We need to check for payload to make TS happy.');
-        // eslint-disable-next-line qunit/no-early-return
-        return;
-      }
+      const response = await apiClient.emails.createEmail(body);
+      assertResponse(assert, response);
+      const { data: payload } = response;
+
       assert.equal(JSON.stringify(payload.data), '{}');
       assert.equal(payload.id, 'ema_2PHa2N3bS7D6NPPQ5mpHEg0waZQ');
 
@@ -126,15 +112,19 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
 
     test('executes a successful backend API request to create a new resource', async assert => {
       fakeFetch = sinon.stub(runtime, 'fetch');
-      fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonOk([userJson]));
+      fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonOk(userJson));
 
-      await apiClient.users.createUser({
+      const response = await apiClient.users.createUser({
         firstName: 'John',
         lastName: 'Doe',
         publicMetadata: {
           star_sign: 'Leon',
         },
       });
+      assertResponse(assert, response);
+      const { data: payload } = response;
+
+      assert.equal(payload.firstName, 'John');
 
       assert.ok(
         fakeFetch.calledOnceWith('https://api.clerk.test/v1/users', {
@@ -161,14 +151,13 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       fakeFetch = sinon.stub(runtime, 'fetch');
       fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonNotOk({ errors: [mockErrorPayload], clerk_trace_id: traceId }));
 
-      try {
-        await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
-      } catch (e: any) {
-        assert.equal(e.clerkTraceId, traceId);
-        assert.true(e.clerkError);
-        assert.equal(e.status, 422);
-        assert.equal(e.errors[0].code, 'whatever_error');
-      }
+      const response = await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
+      assertErrorResponse(assert, response);
+
+      assert.equal(response.clerkTraceId, traceId);
+      assert.equal(response.status, 422);
+      assert.equal(response.statusText, '422');
+      assert.equal(response.errors[0].code, 'whatever_error');
 
       assert.ok(
         fakeFetch.calledOnceWith('https://api.clerk.test/v1/users/user_deadbeef', {
@@ -186,13 +175,12 @@ export default (QUnit: QUnit) => {
       fakeFetch = sinon.stub(runtime, 'fetch');
       fakeFetch.onCall(0).returns(jsonError({ errors: [] }));
 
-      try {
-        await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
-      } catch (e: any) {
-        assert.true(e.clerkError);
-        assert.equal(e.status, 500);
-        assert.equal(e.clerkTraceId, 'mock_cf_ray');
-      }
+      const response = await apiClient.users.getUser('user_deadbeef');
+      assertErrorResponse(assert, response);
+
+      assert.equal(response.status, 500);
+      assert.equal(response.statusText, '500');
+      assert.equal(response.clerkTraceId, 'mock_cf_ray');
 
       assert.ok(
         fakeFetch.calledOnceWith('https://api.clerk.test/v1/users/user_deadbeef', {
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/api/request.ts b/packages/backend/src/api/request.ts
index f7c566a0a1d..b6ad827024a 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/api/request.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/api/request.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { ClerkAPIResponseError } from '@clerk/shared/error';
 import type { ClerkAPIError, ClerkAPIErrorJSON } from '@clerk/types';
 import snakecaseKeys from 'snakecase-keys';
 
@@ -36,32 +35,11 @@ export type ClerkBackendApiResponse<T> =
       data: null;
       errors: ClerkAPIError[];
       clerkTraceId?: string;
+      status?: number;
+      statusText?: string;
     };
 
 export type RequestFunction = ReturnType<typeof buildRequest>;
-type LegacyRequestFunction = <T>(requestOptions: ClerkBackendApiRequestOptions) => Promise<T>;
-
-/**
- * Switching to the { data, errors } format is a breaking change, so we will skip it for now
- * until we release v5 of the related SDKs.
- * This HOF wraps the request helper and transforms the new return to the legacy return.
- * TODO: Simply remove this wrapper and the ClerkAPIResponseError before the v5 release.
- */
-const withLegacyReturn =
-  (cb: any): LegacyRequestFunction =>
-  async (...args) => {
-    // @ts-ignore
-    const { data, errors, status, statusText, clerkTraceId } = await cb<T>(...args);
-    if (errors === null) {
-      return data;
-    } else {
-      throw new ClerkAPIResponseError(statusText || '', {
-        data: errors,
-        status: status || '',
-        clerkTraceId,
-      });
-    }
-  };
 
 type BuildRequestOptions = {
   /* Secret Key */
@@ -73,9 +51,8 @@ type BuildRequestOptions = {
   /* Library/SDK name */
   userAgent?: string;
 };
-
 export function buildRequest(options: BuildRequestOptions) {
-  const request = async <T>(requestOptions: ClerkBackendApiRequestOptions): Promise<ClerkBackendApiResponse<T>> => {
+  return async <T>(requestOptions: ClerkBackendApiRequestOptions): Promise<ClerkBackendApiResponse<T>> => {
     const { secretKey, apiUrl = API_URL, apiVersion = API_VERSION, userAgent = USER_AGENT } = options;
     const { path, method, queryParams, headerParams, bodyParams, formData } = requestOptions;
 
@@ -133,7 +110,13 @@ export function buildRequest(options: BuildRequestOptions) {
       const data = await (isJSONResponse ? res.json() : res.text());
 
       if (!res.ok) {
-        throw data;
+        return {
+          data: null,
+          errors: data?.errors || data,
+          status: res?.status,
+          statusText: res?.statusText,
+          clerkTraceId: getTraceId(data, res?.headers),
+        };
       }
 
       return {
@@ -157,16 +140,12 @@ export function buildRequest(options: BuildRequestOptions) {
       return {
         data: null,
         errors: parseErrors(err),
-        // TODO: To be removed with withLegacyReturn
-        // @ts-expect-error
         status: res?.status,
         statusText: res?.statusText,
         clerkTraceId: getTraceId(err, res?.headers),
       };
     }
   };
-
-  return withLegacyReturn(request);
 }
 
 // Returns either clerk_trace_id if present in response json, otherwise defaults to CF-Ray header
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts b/packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts
index b39c53fa540..d87143643f8 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/tokens/authStatus.ts
@@ -149,12 +149,9 @@ export async function signedIn<T extends AuthStatusOptionsType>(
     loadOrganization && orgId ? organizations.getOrganization({ organizationId: orgId }) : Promise.resolve(undefined),
   ]);
 
-  const session = sessionResp;
-  const user = userResp;
-  const organization = organizationResp;
-  // const session = sessionResp && !sessionResp.errors ? sessionResp.data : undefined;
-  // const user = userResp && !userResp.errors ? userResp.data : undefined;
-  // const organization = organizationResp && !organizationResp.errors ? organizationResp.data : undefined;
+  const session = sessionResp && !sessionResp.errors ? sessionResp.data : undefined;
+  const user = userResp && !userResp.errors ? userResp.data : undefined;
+  const organization = organizationResp && !organizationResp.errors ? organizationResp.data : undefined;
 
   const authObject = signedInAuthObject(
     sessionClaims,
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/util/assertResponse.ts b/packages/backend/src/util/assertResponse.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8cdb760ff28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/src/util/assertResponse.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+type ApiResponse<T> = { data: T | null; errors: null | any[] };
+type SuccessApiResponse<T> = { data: T; errors: null };
+type ErrorApiResponse = { data: null; errors: any[]; clerkTraceId: string; status: number; statusText: string };
+export function assertResponse<T>(assert: Assert, resp: ApiResponse<T>): asserts resp is SuccessApiResponse<T> {
+  assert.equal(resp.errors, null);
+}
+export function assertErrorResponse<T>(assert: Assert, resp: ApiResponse<T>): asserts resp is ErrorApiResponse {
+  assert.notEqual(resp.errors, null);
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/util/mockFetch.ts b/packages/backend/src/util/mockFetch.ts
index 89cf9f5e686..ada6a78f2ab 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/util/mockFetch.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/util/mockFetch.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export function jsonOk(body: unknown, status = 200) {
   const mockResponse = {
     ok: true,
     status,
+    statusText: status.toString(),
     headers: { get: mockHeadersGet },
     json() {
       return Promise.resolve(body);
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ export function jsonNotOk(body: unknown) {
   const mockResponse = {
     ok: false,
     status: 422,
+    statusText: 422,
     headers: { get: mockHeadersGet },
     json() {
       return Promise.resolve(body);
@@ -32,7 +34,8 @@ export function jsonError(body: unknown, status = 500) {
   // Mock response object that satisfies the window.Response interface
   const mockResponse = {
     ok: false,
-    status: status,
+    status,
+    statusText: status.toString(),
     headers: { get: mockHeadersGet },
     json() {
       return Promise.resolve(body);
diff --git a/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/currentUser.ts b/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/currentUser.ts
index 6684ac8f90f..adcf72e2860 100644
--- a/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/currentUser.ts
+++ b/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/currentUser.ts
@@ -5,5 +5,10 @@ import { auth } from './auth';
 
 export async function currentUser(): Promise<User | null> {
   const { userId } = auth();
-  return userId ? clerkClient.users.getUser(userId) : null;
+  if (!userId) return null;
+
+  const { data, errors } = await clerkClient.users.getUser(userId);
+  if (errors) return null;
+
+  return data;
 }
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/examples/express/src/runtime-keys-middleware.ts b/packages/sdk-node/examples/express/src/runtime-keys-middleware.ts
index 6f10d179648..11a442f7122 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/examples/express/src/runtime-keys-middleware.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/examples/express/src/runtime-keys-middleware.ts
@@ -21,8 +21,12 @@ app.use(clerk.expressWithAuth());
 app.get('/', async (req: WithAuthProp<Request>, res: Response) => {
   const { userId, debug } = req.auth;
   console.log(debug());
-  const user = userId ? await clerk.users.getUser(userId) : null;
-  res.json({ auth: req.auth, user });
+  if (!userId) return res.json({ auth: req.auth, user: null });
+
+  const { data, errors } = await clerk.users.getUser(userId);
+  if (errors) return res.json({ auth: req.auth, user: null });
+
+  return res.json({ auth: req.auth, user: data });;
 });
 
 // @ts-ignore
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/organizations.ts b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/organizations.ts
index 3661d2f5c47..d225b83c3ca 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/organizations.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/organizations.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,29 @@
 import { organizations, users } from '@clerk/clerk-sdk-node';
 
 console.log('Get user to create organization');
-const [creator] = await users.getUserList();
+const { data, errors } = await users.getUserList();
+if (errors) {
+  throw new Error(errors);
+}
+
+const creator = data[0];
 
 console.log('Create organization');
-const organization = await organizations.createOrganization({
+const { data: organization } = await organizations.createOrganization({
   name: 'test-organization',
   createdBy: creator.id,
 });
 console.log(organization);
 
 console.log('Update organization metadata');
-const updatedOrganizationMetadata =
-  await organizations.updateOrganizationMetadata(organization.id, {
+const { data: updatedOrganizationMetadata, errors: uomErrors } = await organizations.updateOrganizationMetadata(
+  organization.id,
+  {
     publicMetadata: { test: 1 },
-  });
+  },
+);
+if (uomErrors) {
+  throw new Error(uomErrors);
+}
+
 console.log(updatedOrganizationMetadata);
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/sessions.ts b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/sessions.ts
index 2f52e4287f8..1b4c3e56fcd 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/sessions.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/sessions.ts
@@ -9,33 +9,25 @@ const sessionIdtoRevoke = process.env.SESSION_ID_TO_REVOKE || '';
 const sessionToken = process.env.SESSION_TOKEN || '';
 
 console.log('Get session list');
-const sessionList = await sessions.getSessionList();
+const { data: sessionList } = await sessions.getSessionList();
 console.log(sessionList);
 
 console.log('Get session list filtered by userId');
-const filteredSessions1 = await sessions.getSessionList({ userId });
+const { data: filteredSessions1 } = await sessions.getSessionList({ userId });
 console.log(filteredSessions1);
 
 console.log('Get session list filtered by clientId');
-const filteredSessions2 = await sessions.getSessionList({ clientId });
+const { data: filteredSessions2 } = await sessions.getSessionList({ clientId });
 console.log(filteredSessions2);
 
 console.log('Get single session');
-const session = await sessions.getSession(sessionId);
+const { data: session } = await sessions.getSession(sessionId);
 console.log(session);
 
-try {
-  console.log('Revoke session');
-  const revokedSession = await sessions.revokeSession(sessionIdtoRevoke);
-  console.log(revokedSession);
-} catch (error) {
-  console.log(error);
-}
+console.log('Revoke session');
+const { data: revokedSession } = await sessions.revokeSession(sessionIdtoRevoke);
+console.log(revokedSession);
 
-try {
-  console.log('Verify session');
-  const verifiedSession = await sessions.verifySession(sessionId, sessionToken);
-  console.log(verifiedSession);
-} catch (error) {
-  console.log(error);
-}
+console.log('Verify session');
+const { data: verifiedSession } = await sessions.verifySession(sessionId, sessionToken);
+console.log(verifiedSession);
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/users.ts b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/users.ts
index 0e9a354b4b6..9ee3a2f0f15 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/users.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/examples/node/src/users.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { users } from '@clerk/clerk-sdk-node';
 
 console.log('Create user');
-const createdUser = await users.createUser({
+const { data: createdUser, errors: createUserErrors } = await users.createUser({
   emailAddress: ['test@example.com'],
   phoneNumber: ['+15555555555'],
   externalId: 'a-unique-id',
@@ -21,36 +21,46 @@ const createdUser = await users.createUser({
   },
   password: '123456+ABCd',
 });
+if (createUserErrors) {
+  throw new Error(createUserErrors);
+}
 console.log(createdUser);
 const createdUserId = createdUser.id as string;
 
 console.log('Get single user');
-const user = await users.getUser(createdUserId);
+const { data: user, errors: userErrors } = await users.getUser(createdUserId);
+if (userErrors) {
+  throw new Error(userErrors);
+}
 console.log(user);
 
 await users.deleteUser(createdUserId);
 
 console.log('Get user list');
-const userList = await users.getUserList();
+const { data: userList, errors: userListErrors } = await users.getUserList();
+if (userListErrors) {
+  throw new Error(userListErrors);
+}
 console.log(userList);
 
-try {
-  console.log('Update user');
-
-  const updatedUser = await users.updateUser(createdUserId, {
-    firstName: 'Kyle',
-    lastName: 'Reese',
-    publicMetadata: {
-      zodiac_sign: 'leo',
-      ascendant: 'scorpio',
-    },
-  });
+console.log('Update user');
 
-  console.log(updatedUser);
-} catch (error) {
-  console.log(error);
+const { user: updatedUser, errors: updateUserErrors } = await users.updateUser(createdUserId, {
+  firstName: 'Kyle',
+  lastName: 'Reese',
+  publicMetadata: {
+    zodiac_sign: 'leo',
+    ascendant: 'scorpio',
+  },
+});
+if (updateUserErrors) {
+  throw new Error(updateUserErrors);
 }
+console.log(updatedUser);
 
 console.log('Get total count of users');
-const count = await users.getCount();
+const { data: count, errors: countErrors } = await users.getCount();
+if (countErrors) {
+  throw new Error(countErrors);
+}
 console.log(count);
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/src/__tests__/middleware.test.ts b/packages/sdk-node/src/__tests__/middleware.test.ts
index dd62716deb4..d35fe2c0966 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/src/__tests__/middleware.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/src/__tests__/middleware.test.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ describe('ClerkExpressWithAuth', () => {
       isUnknown: false,
       toAuth: () => ({ sessionId: '1' }),
     } as unknown as RequestState);
-    clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial.mockReturnValue('<html>interstitial</html>');
+    clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial.mockReturnValue({ data: '<html>interstitial</html>', errors: null });
 
     await createClerkExpressWithAuth({ clerkClient })()(req, res, mockNext as NextFunction);
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ describe('ClerkExpressRequireAuth', () => {
       isUnknown: false,
       toAuth: () => ({ sessionId: '1' }),
     } as unknown as RequestState);
-    clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial.mockReturnValue('<html>interstitial</html>');
+    clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial.mockReturnValue({ data: '<html>interstitial</html>', errors: null });
 
     await createClerkExpressRequireAuth({ clerkClient })()(req, res, mockNext as NextFunction);
 
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/src/authenticateRequest.ts b/packages/sdk-node/src/authenticateRequest.ts
index 383bb065557..ce0eb02bfba 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/src/authenticateRequest.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/src/authenticateRequest.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export async function loadInterstitial({
    * and avoid the extra network call
    */
   if (requestState.publishableKey) {
-    return clerkClient.localInterstitial({
+    const data = clerkClient.localInterstitial({
       publishableKey: requestState.publishableKey,
       proxyUrl: requestState.proxyUrl,
       signInUrl: requestState.signInUrl,
@@ -29,8 +29,14 @@ export async function loadInterstitial({
       clerkJSVersion,
       clerkJSUrl,
     });
+
+    return {
+      data,
+      errors: null,
+    };
   }
-  return await clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial();
+
+  return clerkClient.remotePrivateInterstitial();
 }
 
 export const authenticateRequest = (opts: AuthenticateRequestParams) => {
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressRequireAuth.ts b/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressRequireAuth.ts
index 884ad1a9038..6bb3b22c677 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressRequireAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressRequireAuth.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ export const createClerkExpressRequireAuth = (createOpts: CreateClerkExpressMidd
           clerkClient,
           requestState,
         });
-        return handleInterstitialCase(res, requestState, interstitial);
+        if (interstitial.errors) {
+          // TODO(@dimkl): return interstitial errors ?
+          next(new Error('Unauthenticated'));
+          return;
+        }
+        return handleInterstitialCase(res, requestState, interstitial.data);
       }
 
       if (requestState.isSignedIn) {
diff --git a/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressWithAuth.ts b/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressWithAuth.ts
index 5d59ed3cf85..2407a624f89 100644
--- a/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressWithAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk-node/src/clerkExpressWithAuth.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@ export const createClerkExpressWithAuth = (createOpts: CreateClerkExpressMiddlew
           clerkClient,
           requestState,
         });
-        return handleInterstitialCase(res, requestState, interstitial);
+        if (interstitial.errors) {
+          // TODO(@dimkl): return interstitial errors ?
+          next(new Error('Unauthenticated'));
+          return;
+        }
+        return handleInterstitialCase(res, requestState, interstitial.data);
       }
 
       (req as WithAuthProp<any>).auth = {