diff --git a/jwcrypto/jwt.py b/jwcrypto/jwt.py
index ff8c899..12beb04 100644
--- a/jwcrypto/jwt.py
+++ b/jwcrypto/jwt.py
@@ -448,22 +448,6 @@ def _check_provided_claims(self):
                         "Invalid '%s' value. Expected '%s' got '%s'" % (
                             name, value, claims[name]))
 
-    def _deserialize_token_with_keys(self, jwt, keys):
-        for k in keys:
-            try:
-                self.token.deserialize(jwt, k)
-                self.deserializelog.append("Success")
-                break
-            except Exception as e:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
-                keyid = k.get('kid')
-                if keyid is None:
-                    keyid = k.thumbprint()
-                self.deserializelog.append('Key [%s] failed: [%s]' % (
-                    keyid, repr(e)))
-                continue
-        if "Success" not in self.deserializelog:
-            raise JWTMissingKey('No working key found in key set')
-
     def norm_typ(self, val):
         lc = val.lower()
         if '/' in lc:
@@ -503,6 +487,63 @@ def make_encrypted_token(self, key):
         t.add_recipient(key)
         self.token = t
 
+    def validate(self, key):
+        """Validate a JWT token that was deserialized w/o providing a key
+
+        :param key: A (:class:`jwcrypto.jwk.JWK`) verification or
+         decryption key, or a (:class:`jwcrypto.jwk.JWKSet`) that
+         contains a key indexed by the 'kid' header.
+        """
+        self.deserializelog = []
+        if self.token is None:
+            raise ValueError("Token empty")
+
+        if isinstance(key, JWK):
+            try:
+                if isinstance(self.token, JWS):
+                    self.token.verify(key)
+                elif isinstance(self.token, JWE):
+                    self.token.decrypt(key)
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError("Token format unrecognized")
+                self.deserializelog.append("Success")
+            except Exception as e:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
+                self.deserializelog.append(
+                    'Validation failed: [{}]'.format(repr(e)))
+                raise
+        elif isinstance(key, JWKSet):
+            keys = key
+            if 'kid' in self.token.jose_header:
+                kid_keys = key.get_keys(self.token.jose_header['kid'])
+                if not kid_keys:
+                    raise JWTMissingKey('Key ID {} not in key set'.format(
+                                        self.token.jose_header['kid']))
+                keys = kid_keys
+
+            for k in keys:
+                try:
+                    if isinstance(self.token, JWS):
+                        self.token.verify(k)
+                    elif isinstance(self.token, JWE):
+                        self.token.decrypt(k)
+                    else:
+                        raise ValueError("Token format unrecognized")
+                    self.deserializelog.append("Success")
+                    break
+                except Exception as e:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
+                    keyid = k.get('kid', k.thumbprint())
+                    self.deserializelog.append('Key [{}] failed: [{}]'.format(
+                                               keyid, repr(e)))
+                    continue
+            if "Success" not in self.deserializelog:
+                raise JWTMissingKey('No working key found in key set')
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Unrecognized key type")
+
+        self.header = self.token.jose_header
+        self.claims = self.token.payload.decode('utf-8')
+        self._check_provided_claims()
+
     def deserialize(self, jwt, key=None):
         """Deserialize a JWT token.
 
@@ -526,31 +567,12 @@ def deserialize(self, jwt, key=None):
         if self._algs:
             self.token.allowed_algs = self._algs
 
-        self.deserializelog = []
+        self.deserializelog = None
         # now deserialize and also decrypt/verify (or raise) if we
         # have a key
-        if key is None:
-            self.token.deserialize(jwt, None)
-        elif isinstance(key, JWK):
-            self.token.deserialize(jwt, key)
-            self.deserializelog.append("Success")
-        elif isinstance(key, JWKSet):
-            self.token.deserialize(jwt, None)
-            if 'kid' in self.token.jose_header:
-                kid_keys = key.get_keys(self.token.jose_header['kid'])
-                if not kid_keys:
-                    raise JWTMissingKey('Key ID %s not in key set'
-                                        % self.token.jose_header['kid'])
-                self._deserialize_token_with_keys(jwt, kid_keys)
-            else:
-                self._deserialize_token_with_keys(jwt, key)
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Unrecognized Key Type")
-
-        if key is not None:
-            self.header = self.token.jose_header
-            self.claims = self.token.payload.decode('utf-8')
-            self._check_provided_claims()
+        self.token.deserialize(jwt, None)
+        if key:
+            self.validate(key)
 
     def serialize(self, compact=True):
         """Serializes the object into a JWS token.
diff --git a/jwcrypto/tests.py b/jwcrypto/tests.py
index 5feffc8..51c6f10 100644
--- a/jwcrypto/tests.py
+++ b/jwcrypto/tests.py
@@ -2041,10 +2041,7 @@ def test_jwt_equality(self):
 
         c = jwt.JWT.from_jose_token(a.serialize())
         self.assertNotEqual(a, c)
-        # FIXME: replace once JWT.validate(key) is made available
-        c.token.verify(key)
-        c.header = c.token.jose_header
-        c.claims = c.token.payload.decode('utf-8')
+        c.validate(key)
         self.assertEqual(a, c)
 
         ea = jwt.JWT(header={"alg": "A256KW", "enc": "A256CBC-HS512"},
@@ -2063,10 +2060,7 @@ def test_jwt_equality(self):
 
         ect = jwt.JWT.from_jose_token(ea.serialize())
         self.assertNotEqual(ea, ect)
-        # FIXME: replace once JWT.validate(key) is made available
-        ect.token.decrypt(key)
-        ect.header = ect.token.jose_header
-        ect.claims = ect.token.payload.decode('utf-8')
+        ect.validate(key)
         self.assertEqual(ea, ect)
 
     def test_jwt_representations(self):