diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index cbb0acb..c19c73f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -431,9 +431,9 @@ var jwtLib = {
       jwt.setSigningAlgorithm(args.length===3 ? alg : 'HS256');
       jwt.setSigningKey(secret);
     }
-    jwt.setExpiration((nowEpochSeconds() + (60*60))*1000); // one hour
+    jwt.setExpiration(claims.exp * 1000 || (nowEpochSeconds() + (60 * 60)) * 1000);
     return jwt;
   }
 };
 
-module.exports = jwtLib;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = jwtLib;
diff --git a/test/builder.js b/test/builder.js
index c1a20d2..c712d5a 100644
--- a/test/builder.js
+++ b/test/builder.js
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@ describe('create()',function(){
       assert.equal(nJwt.create({},uuid()).body.exp , oneHourFromNow);
     });
 
+    it('should not create default exp field, if exp is given',function(){
+      var time = Math.floor(Date.now()/1000)
+      var token = nJwt.create({exp: time},uuid())
+      assert.equal(token.body.exp , time);
+    });
+
     it('should not overwrite a defined jti field',function(){
       assert.equal(nJwt.create({jti: 1},uuid()).body.jti , 1);
     });
@@ -108,6 +114,3 @@ describe('base64 URL Encoding',function(){
 
   });
 });
-
-
-