diff --git a/server/Cargo.lock b/server/Cargo.lock
index 01adb3e..dcf3fa1 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.lock
+++ b/server/Cargo.lock
@@ -788,7 +788,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
  "x25519-dalek 2.0.1",
- "zeroize",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/Cargo.toml b/server/crates/arbiter-server/Cargo.toml
index 8deee71..e3a202c 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/Cargo.toml
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ chrono.workspace = true
 kameo.workspace = true
 chacha20poly1305 = { version = "0.10.1", features = ["std"] }
 argon2 = { version = "0.5.3", features = ["zeroize"] }
-zeroize = "1.9"
 restructed = "0.2.2"
 strum = { version = "0.28.0", features = ["derive"] }
 pem = "3.0.6"
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/bootstrap.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/bootstrap.rs
index 99b4e29..4859fdd 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/bootstrap.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/bootstrap.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::db::{self, DatabasePool, schema};
+use arbiter_crypto::safecell::{SafeCell, SafeCellHandle as _};
 use arbiter_proto::{BOOTSTRAP_PATH, home_path};
 
 use diesel::QueryDsl;
@@ -10,7 +11,6 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use subtle::ConstantTimeEq as _;
 use thiserror::Error;
 use tracing::warn;
-use zeroize::Zeroizing;
 
 const TOKEN_LENGTH: usize = 64;
 
@@ -26,18 +26,23 @@ async fn write_token_file(path: &Path, content: &str) -> Result<(), std::io::Err
     Ok(())
 }
 
-async fn generate_token(path: &Path) -> Result<String, std::io::Error> {
-    let token = UnwrapErr(SysRng)
-        .sample_iter(Alphanumeric)
-        .take(TOKEN_LENGTH)
-        .fold(String::default(), |mut accum, char| {
-            accum += char.to_string().as_str();
-            accum
-        });
+async fn generate_token(path: &Path) -> Result<SafeCell<[u8; TOKEN_LENGTH]>, std::io::Error> {
+    let mut cell = SafeCell::new([0u8; TOKEN_LENGTH]);
+    {
+        let mut buf = cell.write();
+        for (slot, b) in buf
+            .iter_mut()
+            .zip(UnwrapErr(SysRng).sample_iter(Alphanumeric))
+        {
+            *slot = b;
+        }
+    }
 
-    write_token_file(path, &token).await?;
+    let token_str = cell.read_inline(|buf| String::from_utf8_lossy(buf.as_ref()).into_owned());
 
-    Ok(token)
+    write_token_file(path, &token_str).await?;
+
+    Ok(cell)
 }
 
 #[derive(Error, Debug)]
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 
 #[derive(Actor)]
 pub struct Bootstrapper {
-    token: Option<Zeroizing<String>>,
+    token: Option<SafeCell<[u8; TOKEN_LENGTH]>>,
     token_path: Option<PathBuf>,
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +77,7 @@ impl Bootstrapper {
         let (token, token_path) = if row_count == 0 {
             let path = home_path()?.join(BOOTSTRAP_PATH);
             let token = generate_token(&path).await?;
-            (Some(Zeroizing::new(token)), Some(path))
+            (Some(token), Some(path))
         } else {
             (None, None)
         };
@@ -82,13 +87,9 @@ impl Bootstrapper {
 }
 
 impl Bootstrapper {
-    fn is_correct_token(&self, token: &str) -> bool {
-        self.token.as_ref().is_some_and(|expected| {
-            let expected_bytes = expected.as_bytes();
-            let token_bytes = token.as_bytes();
-
-            let choice = expected_bytes.ct_eq(token_bytes);
-            bool::from(choice)
+    fn is_correct_token(&mut self, token: &[u8]) -> bool {
+        self.token.as_mut().is_some_and(|expected| {
+            expected.read_inline(|exp| bool::from(exp.as_ref().ct_eq(token)))
         })
     }
 }
@@ -96,13 +97,13 @@ impl Bootstrapper {
 #[messages]
 impl Bootstrapper {
     #[message]
-    pub async fn consume_token(&mut self, token: Zeroizing<String>) -> bool {
+    pub async fn consume_token(&mut self, token: Vec<u8>) -> bool {
         if self.is_correct_token(&token) {
             self.token = None;
-            if let Some(path) = self.token_path.take() {
-                if let Err(e) = tokio::fs::remove_file(&path).await {
-                    warn!(error = ?e, path = ?path, "Failed to delete bootstrap token file after consumption");
-                }
+            if let Some(path) = self.token_path.take()
+                && let Err(e) = tokio::fs::remove_file(&path).await
+            {
+                warn!(error = ?e, path = ?path, "Failed to delete bootstrap token file after consumption");
             }
             true
         } else {
@@ -114,7 +115,9 @@ impl Bootstrapper {
 #[messages]
 impl Bootstrapper {
     #[message]
-    pub fn get_token(&self) -> Option<String> {
-        self.token.as_ref().map(|token| token.to_string())
+    pub fn get_token(&mut self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.token
+            .as_mut()
+            .map(|cell| cell.read_inline(|buf| String::from_utf8_lossy(buf.as_ref()).into_owned()))
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/grpc/operator/auth.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/grpc/operator/auth.rs
index 818f136..bedf1ab 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/grpc/operator/auth.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/grpc/operator/auth.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ use arbiter_proto::{
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use tonic::Status;
 use tracing::warn;
-use zeroize::Zeroizing;
 
 pub(super) struct AuthTransportAdapter<'a> {
     pub(super) bi: &'a mut GrpcBi<OperatorRequest, OperatorResponse>,
@@ -172,7 +171,7 @@ impl Receiver<auth::Inbound> for AuthTransportAdapter<'_> {
 
                 Some(auth::Inbound::AuthChallengeRequest {
                     pubkey,
-                    bootstrap_token: bootstrap_token.map(Zeroizing::new),
+                    bootstrap_token: bootstrap_token.map(String::into_bytes),
                 })
             }
             AuthRequestPayload::ChallengeSolution(ProtoAuthChallengeSolution { signature }) => {
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/mod.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/mod.rs
index 09006cb..4b2ecb6 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/mod.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use super::{Credentials, OperatorConnection};
 use arbiter_crypto::authn::{self, AuthChallenge};
 use arbiter_proto::transport::Bi;
-use zeroize::Zeroizing;
 
 use state::{
     AuthContext, AuthError, AuthEvents, AuthStateMachine, AuthStates, ChallengeRequest,
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ mod state;
 pub enum Inbound {
     AuthChallengeRequest {
         pubkey: authn::PublicKey,
-        bootstrap_token: Option<Zeroizing<String>>,
+        bootstrap_token: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     },
     AuthChallengeSolution {
         signature: Vec<u8>,
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/state.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/state.rs
index d439267..3208502 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/state.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/peers/operator/auth/state.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use arbiter_crypto::authn::{self, AuthChallenge, OPERATOR_CONTEXT};
 use arbiter_proto::transport::Bi;
-use zeroize::Zeroizing;
 
 use diesel::{ExpressionMethods as _, OptionalExtension as _, QueryDsl};
 use diesel_async::RunQueryDsl;
@@ -17,13 +16,12 @@ use tracing::error;
 
 pub(super) struct ChallengeRequest {
     pub(super) pubkey: authn::PublicKey,
-    pub(super) bootstrap_token: Option<Zeroizing<String>>,
+    pub(super) bootstrap_token: Option<Vec<u8>>,
 }
 
 pub struct ChallengeContext {
     pub(super) challenge: AuthChallenge,
     pub(super) pubkey: authn::PublicKey,
-    pub(super) bootstrap_token: Option<Zeroizing<String>>,
 }
 
 pub(super) struct ChallengeSolution {
@@ -80,11 +78,16 @@ async fn register_key(db: &DatabasePool, pubkey: &authn::PublicKey) -> Result<i3
 pub(super) struct AuthContext<'a, T: ?Sized> {
     pub(super) conn: &'a mut OperatorConnection,
     pub(super) transport: &'a mut T,
+    bootstrap_token: Option<Vec<u8>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a, T: ?Sized> AuthContext<'a, T> {
     pub(super) const fn new(conn: &'a mut OperatorConnection, transport: &'a mut T) -> Self {
-        Self { conn, transport }
+        Self {
+            conn,
+            transport,
+            bootstrap_token: None,
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -109,6 +112,8 @@ where
             }
         }
 
+        self.bootstrap_token = bootstrap_token;
+
         let challenge = AuthChallenge::generate(&mut rand::rng());
 
         self.transport
@@ -121,20 +126,12 @@ where
                 Error::Transport
             })?;
 
-        Ok(ChallengeContext {
-            challenge,
-            pubkey,
-            bootstrap_token,
-        })
+        Ok(ChallengeContext { challenge, pubkey })
     }
 
     async fn verify_solution(
         &mut self,
-        ChallengeContext {
-            challenge,
-            pubkey,
-            bootstrap_token,
-        }: &ChallengeContext,
+        ChallengeContext { challenge, pubkey }: &ChallengeContext,
         ChallengeSolution { solution }: ChallengeSolution,
     ) -> Result<Credentials, Self::Error> {
         let signature = authn::Signature::try_from(solution.as_slice()).map_err(|()| {
@@ -153,7 +150,7 @@ where
         }
 
         // Resolve client id: bootstrap (consume token + register) or lookup
-        let id = match bootstrap_token.clone() {
+        let id = match self.bootstrap_token.take() {
             Some(token) => {
                 let token_ok: bool = self
                     .conn
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/tests/operator/auth.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/tests/operator/auth.rs
index cc1f8f3..aa38bf9 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/tests/operator/auth.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/tests/operator/auth.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ pub async fn bootstrap_token_auth() {
     test_transport
         .send(auth::Inbound::AuthChallengeRequest {
             pubkey: verifying_key(&new_key).into(),
-            bootstrap_token: Some(token),
+            bootstrap_token: Some(token.into_bytes()),
         })
         .await
         .unwrap();
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ pub async fn bootstrap_invalid_token_auth() {
     test_transport
         .send(auth::Inbound::AuthChallengeRequest {
             pubkey: verifying_key(&new_key).into(),
-            bootstrap_token: Some("invalid_token".to_owned()),
+            bootstrap_token: Some(b"invalid_token".to_vec()),
         })
         .await
         .unwrap();