diff --git a/firebase/client.go b/firebase/client.go
index 9a25836..ad81524 100644
--- a/firebase/client.go
+++ b/firebase/client.go
@@ -3,17 +3,19 @@ package firebase
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+
 	firebase "firebase.google.com/go"
 	"firebase.google.com/go/auth"
-	"fmt"
 	s "github.com/bitfield/script"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"google.golang.org/api/option"
-	"log"
 )
 
-const firebaseProjectConfig string = "./.firebaserc"
-const defaultProject = "default"
+const (
+	firebaseProjectConfig = "./.firebaserc"
+	defaultProject        = "default"
+)
 
 type Firebase struct {
 	App       *firebase.App
@@ -21,53 +23,41 @@ type Firebase struct {
 }
 
 func (f *Firebase) setProjectID(projectId string) error {
-
 	configFileContent, err := s.File(firebaseProjectConfig).Bytes()
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("An error occurred while reading config file: %w", err)
 	}
-
 	var decodedConfigs *FirebaseProjectConfigs
-
 	err = json.Unmarshal(configFileContent, &decodedConfigs)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("An error occurred while reading config file: %w", err)
 	}
-
 	f.projectId = decodedConfigs.Projects[projectId]
-
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (f *Firebase) InitializeFirbeaseApp(ctx context.Context, projectId string) error {
-
 	if projectId == "" {
 		projectId = defaultProject
 	}
-
 	err := f.setProjectID(projectId)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("An error occurred while reading config file: %w", err)
 	}
-
 	configs := &firebase.Config{
 		ProjectID: f.projectId,
 	}
-
+	credentials, err := constructToken()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error getting credentials: %w", err)
+	}
 	// replace this with something better
-	opt := option.WithCredentialsFile(viper.GetString("refreshTokenFilePath"))
-
+	opt := option.WithCredentialsJSON(credentials)
 	app, err := firebase.NewApp(ctx, configs, opt)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("error initializing app: %v\n", err)
 	}
-
 	f.App = app
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/firebase/token.go b/firebase/token.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98475b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/firebase/token.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Package oauth get refresh token and save for future use
+package firebase
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+)
+
+type RefreshToken struct {
+	ClientID     string `json:"client_id"`
+	ClientSecret string `json:"client_secret"`
+	RefreshToken string `json:"refresh_token"`
+	Type         string `json:"type"`
+}
+
+func (r RefreshToken) validate() error {
+	if r.ClientID == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("client id can not be empty")
+	}
+	if r.ClientSecret == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("client secret can not be empty")
+	}
+	if r.RefreshToken == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("refresh token can not be empty")
+	}
+	if r.Type != "authorized_user" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("token type is not valid")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// constructToken create a json refresh token byte for use by a firebase client
+func constructToken() ([]byte, error) {
+	refreshToken := RefreshToken{
+		ClientID:     viper.GetString("GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID"),
+		ClientSecret: viper.GetString("GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET"),
+		RefreshToken: viper.GetString("FirebaseRefreshToken"),
+		Type:         "authorized_user",
+	}
+	if err := refreshToken.validate(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error validating token: %w", err)
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(refreshToken)
+}