diff --git a/api/anime/handler.go b/api/anime/handler.go
index ac8f6d7..9342ae5 100644
--- a/api/anime/handler.go
+++ b/api/anime/handler.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"mal/integrations/jikan"
 	ctxpkg "mal/internal/context"
 	"mal/internal/db"
+	"mal/internal/middleware"
 	"mal/templates"
 )
 
@@ -85,8 +86,9 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleCatalog(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var cw []database.GetContinueWatchingEntriesRow
 	watchlistMap := make(map[int64]bool)
 	var watchlistIDs []int64
-	user, userOk := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
-	if userOk && user != nil {
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
+	userOk := user != nil
+	if userOk {
 		cw, _ = h.db.GetContinueWatchingEntries(r.Context(), user.ID)
 		watchlist, _ := h.db.GetUserWatchList(r.Context(), user.ID)
 		watchlistIDs = make([]int64, len(watchlist))
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleCatalog(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) HandleBrowse(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 
 	q := r.URL.Query().Get("q")
 	animeType := r.URL.Query().Get("type")
@@ -230,7 +232,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleAnimeDetails(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 
 	var status string
 	var watchlistIDs []int64
@@ -276,7 +278,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleHTMLWatchOrder(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 	watchlistMap := make(map[int64]bool)
 	if user != nil {
 		watchlist, _ := h.db.GetUserWatchList(r.Context(), user.ID)
diff --git a/api/playback/handler.go b/api/playback/handler.go
index a09623c..07cad6e 100644
--- a/api/playback/handler.go
+++ b/api/playback/handler.go
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"mal/integrations/jikan"
-	ctxpkg "mal/internal/context"
-	database "mal/internal/db"
+	"mal/internal/middleware"
 	"mal/templates"
 )
 
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleWatchPage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return episodes.Data[i].MalID < episodes.Data[j].MalID
 	})
 
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 
 	currentEpID := r.URL.Query().Get("ep")
 	if currentEpID == "" {
@@ -238,7 +237,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleEpisodeData(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	episodeID := parts[5]
 
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 	userID := ""
 	if user != nil {
 		userID = user.ID
diff --git a/api/watchlist/handler.go b/api/watchlist/handler.go
index 650faa7..2b13c9e 100644
--- a/api/watchlist/handler.go
+++ b/api/watchlist/handler.go
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
-	ctxpkg "mal/internal/context"
 	database "mal/internal/db"
+	"mal/internal/middleware"
 	"mal/templates"
 )
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleUpdateWatchlist(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 		return
 	}
 
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 	if user == nil {
 		http.Error(w, "unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
 		return
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleUpdateWatchlist(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) HandleDeleteWatchlist(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 	if user == nil {
 		http.Error(w, "unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
 		return
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleDeleteContinueWatching(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) HandleGetWatchlist(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	user, _ := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
+	user := middleware.GetUser(r.Context())
 	if user == nil {
 		http.Redirect(w, r, "/login", http.StatusSeeOther)
 		return
diff --git a/internal/middleware/access.go b/internal/middleware/access.go
index 03264f3..6abba55 100644
--- a/internal/middleware/access.go
+++ b/internal/middleware/access.go
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ package middleware
 import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
-
-	"mal/internal/context"
-	"mal/internal/db"
 )
 
 type AccessPolicy struct {
@@ -47,7 +44,8 @@ func RequireGlobalAuthWithPolicy(policy AccessPolicy) func(http.Handler) http.Ha
 				return
 			}
 
-			user, ok := r.Context().Value(context.UserKey).(*database.User)
+			user := GetUser(r.Context())
+			ok := user != nil
 			if !ok || user == nil {
 				if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL.Path, "/api/") || r.Header.Get("HX-Request") == "true" {
 					w.Header().Set("HX-Redirect", "/login")
diff --git a/internal/middleware/auth.go b/internal/middleware/auth.go
index fcf225f..80a5b13 100644
--- a/internal/middleware/auth.go
+++ b/internal/middleware/auth.go
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ func RequireAuth(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			}
 		}
 
-		user, ok := r.Context().Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
-		if !ok || user == nil {
+		user := GetUser(r.Context())
+		if user == nil {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL.Path, "/api/") {
 				w.Header().Set("HX-Redirect", "/login")
 				http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ func RequireAuth(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func GetUser(ctx interface{}) *database.User {
-	user, ok := ctx.(*database.User)
+func GetUser(ctx context.Context) *database.User {
+	user, ok := ctx.Value(ctxpkg.UserKey).(*database.User)
 	if !ok {
 		return nil
 	}