diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 00219d7..abab0ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -59,13 +59,16 @@ yarn add react-netlify-identity
 - `updateUser(fields: object)`: see [updateUser @ gotrue-js](https://github.com/netlify/gotrue-js#update-a-user)
 - `getFreshJWT()`
 - `authedFetch(endpoint: string, obj: RequestInit = {})` a thin axios-like wrapper over `fetch` that has the user's JWT attached, for convenience pinging Netlify Functions with Netlify Identity
+- `recoverAccount(remember?: boolean)`: verifies and consumes the recovery token caught by `runRoutes`, sets user on success
 - `param: TokenParam`
   - a token exposing Netlify tokens a dev has to implement the actions for; namely `invite`, `recovery`, `email_change` and `access_denied`
-  - **Important:** tokens this package exposes no methods for are automatically handled and will not be passed down - see [runRoutes implementation](https://github.com/sw-yx/react-netlify-identity/master/src/runRoutes.tsx)
+  - **important:** tokens this package exposes no methods for are automatically handled and will not be passed down - see [runRoutes implementation](https://github.com/sw-yx/react-netlify-identity/master/src/runRoutes.tsx)
   - if you don't want this behaviour (added [here](https://github.com/sw-yx/react-netlify-identity/issues/12) in v.0.1.8), pass `runRoutes={false}` to the exposed hook
   - for further reference, please check the [type definition](https://github.com/sw-yx/react-netlify-identity/tree/master/src/token.ts)
   - an example implementation for a Recovery process can be found below
-- `recoverAccount(remember?: boolean)`: verifies and consumes the recovery token caught by `runRoutes`, sets user on success
+- `verifyToken()`
+  - consumes & verifies TokenParam based on the type and tries to retrieve a valid user object
+  - devs duty to show password field to afterwards call `signupUser(user.email, newPassword)`
 
 ```tsx
 import React from 'react';
diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index 681214f..cc714d9 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ const errors = {
   tokenMissingOrInvalid: 'either no token found or invalid for this purpose',
 };
 
-type MaybeUserPromise = Promise<User | undefined>;
-
 export type ReactNetlifyIdentityAPI = {
   user: User | undefined;
   /** not meant for normal use! you should mostly use one of the other exported methods to update the user instance */
@@ -54,29 +52,33 @@ export type ReactNetlifyIdentityAPI = {
     password: string,
     data: Object,
     directLogin: boolean
-  ) => MaybeUserPromise;
+  ) => Promise<User | undefined>;
   loginUser: (
     email: string,
     password: string,
     remember?: boolean
-  ) => MaybeUserPromise;
-  logoutUser: () => MaybeUserPromise;
+  ) => Promise<User | undefined>;
+  logoutUser: () => Promise<User | undefined>;
   requestPasswordRecovery: (email: string) => Promise<void>;
-  recoverAccount: (remember?: boolean) => MaybeUserPromise;
-  updateUser: (fields: object) => MaybeUserPromise;
-  getFreshJWT: () => Promise<string>;
+  recoverAccount: (remember?: boolean) => Promise<User | undefined>;
+  updateUser: (fields: object) => Promise<User | undefined>;
+  getFreshJWT: () => Promise<string> | undefined;
   authedFetch: {
-    get: (endpoint: string, obj?: {}) => Promise<any>;
-    post: (endpoint: string, obj?: {}) => Promise<any>;
-    put: (endpoint: string, obj?: {}) => Promise<any>;
-    delete: (endpoint: string, obj?: {}) => Promise<any>;
+    get: (endpoint: string, obj?: RequestInit) => Promise<any>;
+    post: (endpoint: string, obj?: RequestInit) => Promise<any>;
+    put: (endpoint: string, obj?: RequestInit) => Promise<any>;
+    delete: (endpoint: string, obj?: RequestInit) => Promise<any>;
   };
   _goTrueInstance: GoTrue;
   _url: string;
   loginProvider: (provider: Provider) => void;
-  acceptInviteExternalUrl: (provider: Provider) => string;
+  acceptInviteExternalUrl: (
+    provider: Provider,
+    autoRedirect: boolean
+  ) => string | undefined;
   settings: Settings;
   param: TokenParam;
+  verifyToken: () => Promise<User | undefined>;
 };
 
 const [_useIdentityContext, _IdentityCtxProvider] = createCtx<
@@ -179,20 +181,42 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
    * @see https://github.com/netlify/gotrue-js/blob/master/src/index.js#L92
    */
   const acceptInviteExternalUrl = useCallback(
-    (provider: Provider) => {
+    (provider: Provider, autoRedirect: boolean = true) => {
       if (!param.token || param.type !== 'invite') {
-        throw new Error(errors.tokenMissingOrInvalid);
+        console.error(errors.tokenMissingOrInvalid);
+        return;
       }
 
       const url = goTrueInstance.acceptInviteExternalUrl(provider, param.token);
       // clean up consumed token
       setParam(defaultParam);
 
+      if (autoRedirect) {
+        window.location.href = url;
+        return;
+      }
+
       return url;
     },
     [goTrueInstance, param]
   );
 
+  /**
+   * @see https://github.com/netlify/gotrue-js/blob/master/src/index.js#L123
+   */
+  const verifyToken = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!param.type || !param.token) {
+      return Promise.reject(errors.tokenMissingOrInvalid);
+    }
+
+    return goTrueInstance.verify(param.type, param.token).then(user => {
+      // cleanup consumed token
+      setParam(defaultParam);
+
+      return user;
+    });
+  }, [goTrueInstance, param]);
+
   /******* email auth */
   /**
    * @see https://github.com/netlify/gotrue-js/blob/master/src/index.js#L50
@@ -237,7 +261,7 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
   const recoverAccount = useCallback(
     (remember?: boolean) => {
       if (!param.token || param.type !== 'recovery') {
-        throw new Error(errors.tokenMissingOrInvalid);
+        return Promise.reject(errors.tokenMissingOrInvalid);
       }
 
       return goTrueInstance
@@ -259,7 +283,7 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
   const updateUser = useCallback(
     (fields: object) => {
       if (!user) {
-        throw new Error(errors.noUserFound);
+        return Promise.reject(errors.noUserFound);
       }
 
       return user!
@@ -274,7 +298,7 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
    */
   const getFreshJWT = useCallback(() => {
     if (!user) {
-      throw new Error(errors.noUserFound);
+      return Promise.reject(errors.noUserFound);
     }
 
     return user.jwt();
@@ -285,18 +309,18 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
    */
   const logoutUser = useCallback(() => {
     if (!user) {
-      throw new Error(errors.noUserFound);
+      return Promise.reject(errors.noUserFound);
     }
 
     return user.logout().then(() => _setUser(undefined));
   }, [user]);
 
-  const genericAuthedFetch = (method: string) => (
+  const genericAuthedFetch = (method: RequestInit['method']) => (
     endpoint: string,
     options: RequestInit = {}
   ) => {
     if (!user?.token?.access_token) {
-      throw new Error(errors.noUserTokenFound);
+      return Promise.reject(errors.noUserTokenFound);
     }
 
     const defaultObj = {
@@ -341,6 +365,7 @@ export function useNetlifyIdentity(
     acceptInviteExternalUrl,
     settings,
     param,
+    verifyToken,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/runRoutes.tsx b/src/runRoutes.tsx
index c29b49c..e45fe32 100644
--- a/src/runRoutes.tsx
+++ b/src/runRoutes.tsx
@@ -32,9 +32,15 @@ export function runRoutes(
 
   const hash = document.location.hash.replace(hashReplace, '');
 
-  // todo: maybe replace with history.replaceState to completely clear the url?
-  // currently keeps #
-  document.location.hash = '';
+  try {
+    history.pushState(
+      '',
+      document.title,
+      window.location.pathname + window.location.search
+    );
+  } catch (_) {
+    window.location.href.substr(0, window.location.href.indexOf('#'));
+  }
 
   // earliest possible bail on any match
   if (hash.match(errorRoute)) {