1 files changed, 40 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/jwt/api_jwt.py b/jwt/api_jwt.py
index 77857d2..e1df3c7 100644
--- a/jwt/api_jwt.py
+++ b/jwt/api_jwt.py
@@ -60,12 +60,32 @@ class PyJWT:
             if isinstance(payload.get(time_claim), datetime):
                 payload[time_claim] = timegm(payload[time_claim].utctimetuple())
 
-        json_payload = json.dumps(
-            payload, separators=(",", ":"), cls=json_encoder
-        ).encode("utf-8")
+        json_payload = self._encode_payload(
+            payload,
+            headers=headers,
+            json_encoder=json_encoder,
+        )
 
         return api_jws.encode(json_payload, key, algorithm, headers, json_encoder)
 
+    def _encode_payload(
+        self,
+        payload: Dict[str, Any],
+        headers: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+        json_encoder: Optional[Type[json.JSONEncoder]] = None,
+    ) -> bytes:
+        """
+        Encode a given payload to the bytes to be signed.
+
+        This method is intended to be overridden by subclasses that need to
+        encode the payload in a different way, e.g. compress the payload.
+        """
+        return json.dumps(
+            payload,
+            separators=(",", ":"),
+            cls=json_encoder,
+        ).encode("utf-8")
+
     def decode_complete(
         self,
         jwt: str,
@@ -125,12 +145,7 @@ class PyJWT:
             detached_payload=detached_payload,
         )
 
-        try:
-            payload = json.loads(decoded["payload"])
-        except ValueError as e:
-            raise DecodeError(f"Invalid payload string: {e}")
-        if not isinstance(payload, dict):
-            raise DecodeError("Invalid payload string: must be a json object")
+        payload = self._decode_payload(decoded)
 
         merged_options = {**self.options, **options}
         self._validate_claims(
@@ -140,6 +155,22 @@ class PyJWT:
         decoded["payload"] = payload
         return decoded
 
+    def _decode_payload(self, decoded: Dict[str, Any]) -> Any:
+        """
+        Decode the payload from a JWS dictionary (payload, signature, header).
+
+        This method is intended to be overridden by subclasses that need to
+        decode the payload in a different way, e.g. decompress compressed
+        payloads.
+        """
+        try:
+            payload = json.loads(decoded["payload"])
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise DecodeError(f"Invalid payload string: {e}")
+        if not isinstance(payload, dict):
+            raise DecodeError("Invalid payload string: must be a json object")
+        return payload
+
     def decode(
         self,
         jwt: str,