diff --git a/tests/api/test_access.py b/tests/api/test_access.py
index 921cda8a4..293890afa 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_access.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_access.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import datetime
 import hashlib
 import hmac
 import os
-import shutil
 import urllib.parse
 
 import pytest
@@ -290,12 +289,7 @@ def test_is_url_signed_check_nonce(pub, local_user, freezer):
     pub.site_options.set('api-secrets', ORIG, KEY)
     with open(os.path.join(pub.app_dir, 'site-options.cfg'), 'w') as fd:
         pub.site_options.write(fd)
-    # test clean_nonces do not bark when nonces directory is empty
-    if os.path.exists(os.path.join(pub.app_dir, 'nonces')):
-        shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(pub.app_dir, 'nonces'))
-    pub.clean_nonces(now=0)
-    nonce_dir = os.path.join(pub.app_dir, 'nonces')
-    assert not os.path.exists(nonce_dir) or not os.listdir(nonce_dir)
+    pub.token_class.wipe()
     signed_url = sign_url('?format=json&orig=%s&email=%s' % (ORIG, urllib.parse.quote(local_user.email)), KEY)
     req = HTTPRequest(
         None, {'SCRIPT_NAME': '/', 'SERVER_NAME': 'example.net', 'QUERY_STRING': signed_url[1:]}
@@ -310,18 +304,18 @@ def test_is_url_signed_check_nonce(pub, local_user, freezer):
         is_url_signed()
     assert exc_info.value.public_msg == 'nonce already used'
     # test that clean nonces works
-    pub.clean_nonces()
-    assert os.listdir(nonce_dir)
+    pub.token_class.clean()
+    assert pub.token_class.exists()
 
-    # 80 seconds in the future, nothing should be cleaned
-    freezer.move_to(datetime.timedelta(seconds=80))
-    pub.clean_nonces()
-    assert os.listdir(nonce_dir)
+    # 20 seconds in the future, nothing should be cleaned
+    freezer.move_to(datetime.timedelta(seconds=20))
+    pub.token_class.clean()
+    assert pub.token_class.exists()
 
-    # 90 seconds in the future, nonces should be removed
-    freezer.move_to(datetime.timedelta(seconds=10))
-    pub.clean_nonces()
-    assert not os.listdir(nonce_dir)
+    # 40 seconds in the future, nonces should be removed
+    freezer.move_to(datetime.timedelta(seconds=20))
+    pub.token_class.clean()
+    assert not pub.token_class.exists()
 
 
 def test_get_user_compat_endpoint(pub, local_user):
diff --git a/tests/test_publisher.py b/tests/test_publisher.py
index 5e42995a7..e506638f2 100644
--- a/tests/test_publisher.py
+++ b/tests/test_publisher.py
@@ -168,8 +168,6 @@ def test_register_cronjobs():
     # noqa pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
     assert 'clean_sessions' in [x.function.__name__ for x in pub.cronjobs]
     # noqa pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
-    assert 'clean_nonces' in [x.function.__name__ for x in pub.cronjobs]
-    # noqa pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
     assert 'clean_afterjobs' in [x.function.__name__ for x in pub.cronjobs]
     # noqa pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
     assert 'clean_tempfiles' in [x.function.__name__ for x in pub.cronjobs]
diff --git a/tests/test_sql.py b/tests/test_sql.py
index 665ce703f..5fbd98c3a 100644
--- a/tests/test_sql.py
+++ b/tests/test_sql.py
@@ -2517,6 +2517,24 @@ def test_form_tokens_migration(pub):
     assert not os.path.exists(form_tokens_dir)
 
 
+def test_nonces_migration(pub):
+    conn, cur = sql.get_connection_and_cursor()
+    cur.execute('UPDATE wcs_meta SET value = 76 WHERE key = %s', ('sql_level',))
+    conn.commit()
+    cur.close()
+
+    nonces_dir = os.path.join(pub.app_dir, 'nonces')
+    if not os.path.exists(nonces_dir):
+        os.mkdir(nonces_dir)
+    with open(os.path.join(nonces_dir, '1234'), 'w'):
+        pass
+
+    assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(nonces_dir, '1234'))
+    sql.migrate()
+    assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(nonces_dir, '1234'))
+    assert not os.path.exists(nonces_dir)
+
+
 def test_workflow_traces_initial_migration(pub):
     formdef = FormDef()
     formdef.name = 'tests'
diff --git a/wcs/api_utils.py b/wcs/api_utils.py
index 4417c057a..4709da35b 100644
--- a/wcs/api_utils.py
+++ b/wcs/api_utils.py
@@ -15,12 +15,9 @@
 # along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import base64
-import calendar
 import datetime
-import errno
 import hashlib
 import hmac
-import os
 import random
 import urllib.parse
 
@@ -79,27 +76,12 @@ def is_url_signed(utcnow=None, duration=DEFAULT_DURATION):
     # check nonce
     nonce = get_request().form.get('nonce')
     if nonce:
-        # compute end date of the nonce as an unix timestamp
-        until = timestamp + datetime.timedelta(seconds=duration)
-        until = calendar.timegm(until.timetuple())
         # normalize nonce
-        nonce = nonce[:128]
-        nonce = simplify(nonce).replace('/', '-')
-        nonce_dir = os.path.join(get_publisher().app_dir, 'nonces')
-        nonce_path = os.path.join(nonce_dir, nonce)
-        try:
-            try:
-                if not os.path.exists(nonce_dir):
-                    os.makedirs(nonce_dir)
-            except OSError as e:
-                if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
-                    raise
-            os.close(os.open(nonce_path, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | os.O_WRONLY))
-            # touch file in the future for cleaning_nonces
-            os.utime(nonce_path, (until, until))
-        except OSError as e:
-            if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
-                raise
+        nonce = simplify(nonce[:128]).replace('/', '-')
+        dummy, created = get_publisher().token_class.get_or_create(
+            type='nonce', id=nonce, expiration_delay=duration
+        )
+        if not created:
             raise AccessForbiddenError('nonce already used')
     get_request().signed = True
     return True
diff --git a/wcs/data_sources.py b/wcs/data_sources.py
index ea0dbee2b..5988a96c7 100644
--- a/wcs/data_sources.py
+++ b/wcs/data_sources.py
@@ -851,11 +851,9 @@ class NamedDataSource(XmlStorableObject):
 
         if token_context:
             token_context['session_id'] = get_session().id
-            token, created = get_publisher().token_class.get_or_create(
+            token, dummy = get_publisher().token_class.get_or_create(
                 type='autocomplete', context=token_context
             )
-            if created:
-                token.store()
             return '/api/autocomplete/%s' % token.id
 
         return None
@@ -866,11 +864,9 @@ class NamedDataSource(XmlStorableObject):
         new_url = self.get_variadic_url()
         if new_url != url:
             token_context = {'session_id': get_session().id, 'url': new_url, 'slug': self.slug}
-            token, created = get_publisher().token_class.get_or_create(
+            token, dummy = get_publisher().token_class.get_or_create(
                 type='autocomplete', context=token_context
             )
-            if created:
-                token.store()
             return '/api/geojson/%s' % token.id
         return '/api/geojson/%s' % self.slug
 
diff --git a/wcs/qommon/publisher.py b/wcs/qommon/publisher.py
index da5f23566..9c78cd75c 100644
--- a/wcs/qommon/publisher.py
+++ b/wcs/qommon/publisher.py
@@ -598,22 +598,6 @@ class QommonPublisher(Publisher):
             return
         cls.cronjobs.append(cronjob)
 
-    def clean_nonces(self, delta=60, now=None, **kwargs):
-        nonce_dir = os.path.join(get_publisher().app_dir, 'nonces')
-        if not os.path.exists(nonce_dir):
-            return
-        cleaning_lock_file = os.path.join(self.app_dir, 'cleaning_nonces.lock')
-        try:
-            now = now or time.time()
-            with locket.lock_file(cleaning_lock_file, timeout=0):
-                for nonce in os.listdir(nonce_dir):
-                    nonce_path = os.path.join(nonce_dir, nonce)
-                    # we need delta so that os.utime in is_url_signed has time to update file timestamp
-                    if delta < now - os.stat(nonce_path)[8]:
-                        os.unlink(nonce_path)
-        except locket.LockError:
-            pass
-
     def clean_sessions(self, **kwargs):
         cleaning_lock_file = os.path.join(self.app_dir, 'cleaning_sessions.lock')
         try:
@@ -711,7 +695,6 @@ class QommonPublisher(Publisher):
     @classmethod
     def register_cronjobs(cls):
         cls.register_cronjob(CronJob(cls.clean_sessions, minutes=range(0, 60, 5), name='clean_sessions'))
-        cls.register_cronjob(CronJob(cls.clean_nonces, minutes=range(0, 60, 5), name='clean_nonces'))
         cls.register_cronjob(CronJob(cls.clean_afterjobs, minutes=[0], name='clean_afterjobs'))
         cls.register_cronjob(CronJob(cls.clean_tokens, minutes=[0], name='clean_tokens'))
         cls.register_cronjob(CronJob(cls.clean_tempfiles, minutes=[0], name='clean_tempfiles'))
diff --git a/wcs/qommon/tokens.py b/wcs/qommon/tokens.py
index 27c31466c..5a7af88ed 100644
--- a/wcs/qommon/tokens.py
+++ b/wcs/qommon/tokens.py
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ class Token(StorableObject):
     expiration = None
     context = None
 
-    def __init__(self, expiration_delay=86400, size=16, chars=None):
-        super().__init__(self.get_new_id(size=size, chars=chars))
+    def __init__(self, expiration_delay=None, size=16, chars=None, id=None):
+        super().__init__(id or self.get_new_id(size=size, chars=chars))
         if expiration_delay:
-            self.set_expiration_delay(expiration_delay)
+            self.set_expiration_delay(expiration_delay or 86400)
 
     def set_expiration_delay(self, expiration_delay):
         expiration_delay = min(expiration_delay, self.MAX_DELAY * 86400)  # max 1 year.
@@ -50,13 +50,20 @@ class Token(StorableObject):
                 return id
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_or_create(cls, type, context):
+    def get_or_create(cls, type, id=None, context=None, expiration_delay=None):
         try:
-            return (cls.select(clause=[Equal('type', type), Equal('context', context)])[0], False)
+            clauses = [Equal('type', type)]
+            if id is not None:
+                clauses.append(Equal('id', id))
+            elif context is not None:
+                clauses.append(Equal('context', context))
+            return (cls.select(clause=clauses)[0], False)
         except (IndexError, KeyError):
-            token = cls()
+            token = cls(id=id, expiration_delay=expiration_delay)
+            token.id = id
             token.type = type
             token.context = context
+            token.store()
             return (token, True)
 
     def migrate(self):
diff --git a/wcs/sql.py b/wcs/sql.py
index d0a43c65e..748b5b5f4 100644
--- a/wcs/sql.py
+++ b/wcs/sql.py
@@ -4949,7 +4949,7 @@ def get_period_total(
 # latest migration, number + description (description is not used
 # programmaticaly but will make sure git conflicts if two migrations are
 # separately added with the same number)
-SQL_LEVEL = (76, 'add index to workflow traces table')
+SQL_LEVEL = (77, 'use token table for nonces')
 
 
 def migrate_global_views(conn, cur):
@@ -5256,6 +5256,13 @@ def migrate():
         # 75 (part 2): migrate to dedicated workflow traces table
         set_reindex('workflow_traces_migration', 'needed', conn=conn, cur=cur)
 
+    if sql_level < 77:
+        # 77: use token table for nonces
+        # it uses the existing tokens table, this "migration" is just to remove old files.
+        nonces_dir = os.path.join(get_publisher().app_dir, 'nonces')
+        if os.path.exists(nonces_dir):
+            shutil.rmtree(nonces_dir, ignore_errors=True)
+
     if sql_level != SQL_LEVEL[0]:
         cur.execute(
             '''UPDATE wcs_meta SET value = %s, updated_at=NOW() WHERE key = %s''',