diff --git a/src/fastmcp/server/auth/providers/aws.py b/src/fastmcp/server/auth/providers/aws.py
index fc5ca0666..aa654e966 100644
--- a/src/fastmcp/server/auth/providers/aws.py
+++ b/src/fastmcp/server/auth/providers/aws.py
@@ -38,15 +38,39 @@ logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
 class AWSCognitoTokenVerifier(JWTVerifier):
-    """Token verifier that filters claims to Cognito-specific subset."""
+    """Token verifier for Cognito access tokens.
+
+    Cognito access tokens use a ``client_id`` claim instead of the
+    standard ``aud`` claim.  This subclass passes ``audience=None``
+    to the parent (skipping the ``aud`` check) and validates the
+    ``client_id`` claim directly.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, *, audience: str | list[str] | None = None, **kwargs):
+        self._expected_client_id = audience
+        super().__init__(audience=None, **kwargs)
 
     async def verify_token(self, token: str) -> AccessToken | None:
         """Verify token and filter claims to Cognito-specific subset."""
-        # Use base JWT verification
         access_token = await super().verify_token(token)
         if not access_token:
             return None
 
+        # Validate client_id claim (Cognito's equivalent of aud)
+        if self._expected_client_id:
+            token_client_id = access_token.claims.get("client_id")
+            if isinstance(self._expected_client_id, list):
+                valid = token_client_id in self._expected_client_id
+            else:
+                valid = token_client_id == self._expected_client_id
+            if not valid:
+                self.logger.debug(
+                    "Token validation failed: client_id mismatch (expected %s, got %s)",
+                    self._expected_client_id,
+                    token_client_id,
+                )
+                return None
+
         # Filter claims to Cognito-specific subset
         cognito_claims = {
             "sub": access_token.claims.get("sub"),
@@ -54,7 +78,6 @@ class AWSCognitoTokenVerifier(JWTVerifier):
             "cognito:groups": access_token.claims.get("cognito:groups", []),
         }
 
-        # Return new AccessToken with filtered claims
         return AccessToken(
             token=access_token.token,
             client_id=access_token.client_id,
diff --git a/tests/server/auth/providers/test_aws.py b/tests/server/auth/providers/test_aws.py
index 8bbde78f7..4f5232b53 100644
--- a/tests/server/auth/providers/test_aws.py
+++ b/tests/server/auth/providers/test_aws.py
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ class TestAWSCognitoProvider:
             assert provider._upstream_token_endpoint is not None
             assert "amazoncognito.com" in provider._upstream_authorization_endpoint
 
-    def test_token_verifier_defaults_audience_to_client_id(self):
-        """Test Cognito token verifier enforces the configured client ID by default."""
+    def test_token_verifier_checks_client_id_not_aud(self):
+        """Cognito verifier should check client_id claim, not aud."""
         with mock_cognito_oidc_discovery():
             provider = AWSCognitoProvider(
                 user_pool_id="us-east-1_XXXXXXXXX",
@@ -116,10 +116,11 @@ class TestAWSCognitoProvider:
 
             verifier = provider.get_token_verifier()
 
-            assert verifier.audience == "test_client"
+            assert verifier._expected_client_id == "test_client"
+            assert verifier.audience is None
 
     def test_token_verifier_supports_audience_override(self):
-        """Test Cognito token verifier still allows explicit audience overrides."""
+        """Audience param maps to client_id validation in Cognito verifier."""
         with mock_cognito_oidc_discovery():
             provider = AWSCognitoProvider(
                 user_pool_id="us-east-1_XXXXXXXXX",
@@ -131,7 +132,8 @@ class TestAWSCognitoProvider:
 
             verifier = provider.get_token_verifier(audience="custom-audience")
 
-            assert verifier.audience == "custom-audience"
+            assert verifier._expected_client_id == "custom-audience"
+            assert verifier.audience is None
 
 
 # Token verification functionality is now tested as part of the OIDC provider integration