diff --git a/vc/vcjwt.go b/vc/vcjwt.go
index 57d3ce7..141c981 100644
--- a/vc/vcjwt.go
+++ b/vc/vcjwt.go
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ func Decode[T CredentialSubject](vcJWT string) (DecodedVCJWT[T], error) {
 		return DecodedVCJWT[T]{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode vc claim: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	if vc.Type == nil {
+		return DecodedVCJWT[T]{}, errors.New("vc-jwt missing vc type")
+	}
+
 	// the following conditionals are included to conform with the jwt decoding section
 	// of the specification defined here: https://www.w3.org/TR/vc-data-model/#jwt-decoding
 	if decoded.Claims.Issuer != "" {
diff --git a/vc/vcjwt_test.go b/vc/vcjwt_test.go
index 58ef3e7..7ebc1dc 100644
--- a/vc/vcjwt_test.go
+++ b/vc/vcjwt_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package vc_test
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/alecthomas/assert/v2"
+	web5go "github.com/tbd54566975/web5-go"
 	"github.com/tbd54566975/web5-go/dids/didjwk"
 	"github.com/tbd54566975/web5-go/jwt"
 	"github.com/tbd54566975/web5-go/vc"
@@ -164,3 +166,24 @@ func TestVerify(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestVector_Decode(t *testing.T) {
+	testVectors, err :=
+		web5go.ReadTestVector[string, any]("../web5-spec/test-vectors/vc_jwt/decode.json")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	fmt.Println("Running test vectors: ", testVectors.Description)
+
+	for _, vector := range testVectors.Vectors {
+		t.Run(vector.Description, func(t *testing.T) {
+			fmt.Println("Running test vector: ", vector.Description)
+
+			_, err := vc.Decode[vc.Claims](vector.Input)
+
+			if vector.Errors {
+				assert.Error(t, err)
+			} else {
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}