diff --git a/jwthenticator/api.py b/jwthenticator/api.py
index acaaa93..2e3fd72 100644
--- a/jwthenticator/api.py
+++ b/jwthenticator/api.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 from jwthenticator.consts import JWT_ALGORITHM, JWT_ALGORITHM_FAMILY, JWT_LEASE_TIME, JWT_AUDIENCE
 from jwthenticator.utils import get_rsa_key_pair, calculate_key_signature
 from jwthenticator.exceptions import ExpiredError
+from jwthenticator.loop_management import is_using_sqlite, db_lock
+
 
 class JWThenticatorAPI:
     """
@@ -49,7 +51,13 @@ async def authenticate(self, request: schemas.AuthRequest) -> schemas.TokenRespo
             raise ExpiredError("Key is expired.")
 
         jwt_token = await self.token_manager.create_access_token(request.identifier)
-        refresh_token = await self.token_manager.create_refresh_token(key_obj.id)
+
+        if is_using_sqlite():
+            # this lock is designed to block multiple request to sqlite causing DB lock
+            async with db_lock:
+                refresh_token = await self.token_manager.create_refresh_token(key_obj.id)
+        else:
+            refresh_token = await self.token_manager.create_refresh_token(key_obj.id)
 
         return schemas.TokenResponse(
             jwt=jwt_token,
diff --git a/jwthenticator/loop_management.py b/jwthenticator/loop_management.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc42664
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jwthenticator/loop_management.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import asyncio
+from jwthenticator.consts import DB_URI
+
+main_event_loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+db_lock = asyncio.Lock(loop=main_event_loop)
+
+def is_using_sqlite()->bool:
+    return "sqlite://" in DB_URI
diff --git a/jwthenticator/server.py b/jwthenticator/server.py
index 990913a..aaca26f 100644
--- a/jwthenticator/server.py
+++ b/jwthenticator/server.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from jwthenticator.utils import get_rsa_key_pair
 from jwthenticator.server_utils import extract_jwt
 from jwthenticator.consts import PORT, URL_PREFIX, DISABLE_EXTERNAL_API, DISABLE_INTERNAL_API
+from jwthenticator.loop_management import main_event_loop
 
 
 class Server:
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ def __init__(self, rsa_key_pair: Tuple[str, Optional[str]] = get_rsa_key_pair(),
         ])
 
         if start_server:
-            web.run_app(self.app, port=port)
+            web.run_app(self.app, port=port, loop=main_event_loop)
 
 
     async def authenticate(self, request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
diff --git a/jwthenticator/tests/test_integration.py b/jwthenticator/tests/test_integration.py
index 618d76f..7ee9a2b 100644
--- a/jwthenticator/tests/test_integration.py
+++ b/jwthenticator/tests/test_integration.py
@@ -53,18 +53,17 @@ class TestIntegration(AioHTTPTestCase):
     """
 
     async def get_application(self) -> web.Application:
-        self.app = web.Application()
-        self.app.add_routes([web.get("/", secure_endpoint)])
-        return self.app
-
+        server = Server(start_server=False)
+        server.app.add_routes([web.get("/dummy", secure_endpoint)])
+        return server.app
 
     async def setUpAsync(self) -> None:
-        server = Server(start_server=False)
-        runner = web.AppRunner(server.app)
-        await runner.setup()
-        site = web.TCPSite(runner, SERVER_HOST, SERVER_PORT)
-        self.loop.create_task(site.start())
+        self.app = await self.get_application()
+        self.server = await self.get_server(self.app)
+        self.server.port = SERVER_PORT
+        self.client = await self.get_client(self.server)
 
+        await self.client.start_server()
 
     @unittest_run_loop
     async def test_client_and_authenticated_server(self) -> None:
@@ -82,11 +81,11 @@ async def test_client_and_authenticated_server(self) -> None:
         await client.refresh()
         # Test get_with_auth
         with patch("aiohttp.ClientSession.__aenter__", ContextAwareClient(self.client)):
-            response = await client.get_with_auth("/")
+            response = await client.get_with_auth("/dummy")
             assert response.status == HTTPStatus.OK
 
         # Test client with JWT and see that doesn't try to refresh (will fail if tries)
         client2 = Client(SERVER_URL, uuid_identifier, jwt=client.jwt)
         with patch("aiohttp.ClientSession.__aenter__", ContextAwareClient(self.client)):
-            response = await client2.get_with_auth("/")
+            response = await client2.get_with_auth("/dummy")
             assert response.status == HTTPStatus.OK
diff --git a/jwthenticator/tokens.py b/jwthenticator/tokens.py
index d8433eb..124b02f 100644
--- a/jwthenticator/tokens.py
+++ b/jwthenticator/tokens.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 from jwthenticator.exceptions import InvalidTokenError, MissingJWTError
 from jwthenticator.consts import JWT_ALGORITHM, REFRESH_TOKEN_EXPIRY, JWT_LEASE_TIME, JWT_AUDIENCE, DB_URI
 
-
 class TokenManager:
     """
     Class responsible for the creation and loading of tokens