diff --git a/src/opengradient/client/model_hub.py b/src/opengradient/client/model_hub.py
index d8f5c92..f93f57e 100644
--- a/src/opengradient/client/model_hub.py
+++ b/src/opengradient/client/model_hub.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Model Hub for creating, versioning, and uploading ML models."""
 
 import os
+import time
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 
 import firebase  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
@@ -19,6 +20,9 @@
     "databaseURL": os.getenv("FIREBASE_DATABASE_URL", ""),
 }
 
+# Firebase idTokens expire after 3600 seconds; refresh 60 s before expiry
+_TOKEN_REFRESH_MARGIN_SEC = 60
+
 
 class ModelHub:
     """
@@ -34,7 +38,14 @@ class ModelHub:
     """
 
     def __init__(self, email: Optional[str] = None, password: Optional[str] = None):
-        self._hub_user = self._login(email, password) if email is not None else None
+        self._firebase_app = None
+        self._hub_user = None
+        self._token_expiry: float = 0.0
+
+        if email is not None:
+            self._firebase_app, self._hub_user = self._login(email, password)
+            expires_in = int(self._hub_user.get("expiresIn", 3600))
+            self._token_expiry = time.time() + expires_in
 
     @staticmethod
     def _login(email: str, password: Optional[str]):
@@ -42,7 +53,34 @@ def _login(email: str, password: Optional[str]):
             raise ValueError("Firebase API Key is missing in environment variables")
 
         firebase_app = firebase.initialize_app(_FIREBASE_CONFIG)
-        return firebase_app.auth().sign_in_with_email_and_password(email, password)
+        user = firebase_app.auth().sign_in_with_email_and_password(email, password)
+        return firebase_app, user
+
+    def _get_auth_token(self) -> str:
+        """Return a valid Firebase idToken, refreshing it if it has expired or is
+        about to expire within ``_TOKEN_REFRESH_MARGIN_SEC`` seconds.
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If the user is not authenticated.
+        """
+        if not self._hub_user:
+            raise ValueError("User not authenticated")
+
+        if time.time() >= self._token_expiry - _TOKEN_REFRESH_MARGIN_SEC:
+            # Refresh the token using the stored refresh token
+            refresh_token = self._hub_user.get("refreshToken")
+            if not refresh_token or self._firebase_app is None:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Cannot refresh Firebase token: missing refresh token or Firebase app. "
+                    "Please re-authenticate by creating a new ModelHub instance."
+                )
+            refreshed = self._firebase_app.auth().refresh(refresh_token)
+            self._hub_user["idToken"] = refreshed["idToken"]
+            self._hub_user["refreshToken"] = refreshed.get("refreshToken", refresh_token)
+            expires_in = int(refreshed.get("expiresIn", 3600))
+            self._token_expiry = time.time() + expires_in
+
+        return str(self._hub_user["idToken"])  # cast Any->str for mypy [no-any-return]
 
     def create_model(self, model_name: str, model_desc: str, version: str = "1.00") -> ModelRepository:
         """
@@ -51,19 +89,17 @@ def create_model(self, model_name: str, model_desc: str, version: str = "1.00")
         Args:
             model_name (str): The name of the model.
             model_desc (str): The description of the model.
-            version (str): The version identifier (default is "1.00").
+            version (str): A label used in the initial version notes (default is "1.00").
+                           Note: the actual version string is assigned by the server.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The server response containing model details.
+            ModelRepository: Object containing the model name and server-assigned version string.
 
         Raises:
-            CreateModelError: If the model creation fails.
+            RuntimeError: If the model creation fails.
         """
-        if not self._hub_user:
-            raise ValueError("User not authenticated")
-
         url = "https://api.opengradient.ai/api/v0/models/"
-        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._hub_user['idToken']}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
+        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._get_auth_token()}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
         payload = {"name": model_name, "description": model_desc}
 
         try:
@@ -74,14 +110,18 @@ def create_model(self, model_name: str, model_desc: str, version: str = "1.00")
             raise RuntimeError(f"Model creation failed: {error_details}") from e
 
         json_response = response.json()
-        model_name = json_response.get("name")
-        if not model_name:
+        created_name = json_response.get("name")
+        if not created_name:
             raise Exception(f"Model creation response missing 'name'. Full response: {json_response}")
 
-        # Create the specified version for the newly created model
-        version_response = self.create_version(model_name, version)
+        # Create the initial version for the newly created model.
+        # Pass `version` as release notes (e.g. "1.00") since the server assigns
+        # its own version string — previously `version` was incorrectly passed as
+        # the positional `notes` argument, resulting in raw version labels as notes
+        # rather than the clearer "Initial version <label>" format used here.
+        version_response = self.create_version(created_name, notes=f"Initial version {version}")
 
-        return ModelRepository(model_name, version_response["versionString"])
+        return ModelRepository(created_name, version_response["versionString"])
 
     def create_version(self, model_name: str, notes: str = "", is_major: bool = False) -> dict:
         """
@@ -98,11 +138,8 @@ def create_version(self, model_name: str, notes: str = "", is_major: bool = Fals
         Raises:
             Exception: If the version creation fails.
         """
-        if not self._hub_user:
-            raise ValueError("User not authenticated")
-
         url = f"https://api.opengradient.ai/api/v0/models/{model_name}/versions"
-        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._hub_user['idToken']}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
+        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._get_auth_token()}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
         payload = {"notes": notes, "is_major": is_major}
 
         try:
@@ -136,20 +173,16 @@ def upload(self, model_path: str, model_name: str, version: str) -> FileUploadRe
             version (str): The version identifier for the model.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The processed result.
+            FileUploadResult: The processed result.
 
         Raises:
             RuntimeError: If the upload fails.
         """
-
-        if not self._hub_user:
-            raise ValueError("User not authenticated")
-
         if not os.path.exists(model_path):
             raise FileNotFoundError(f"Model file not found: {model_path}")
 
         url = f"https://api.opengradient.ai/api/v0/models/{model_name}/versions/{version}/files"
-        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._hub_user['idToken']}"}
+        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._get_auth_token()}"}
 
         try:
             with open(model_path, "rb") as file:
@@ -191,11 +224,8 @@ def list_files(self, model_name: str, version: str) -> List[Dict]:
         Raises:
             RuntimeError: If the file listing fails.
         """
-        if not self._hub_user:
-            raise ValueError("User not authenticated")
-
         url = f"https://api.opengradient.ai/api/v0/models/{model_name}/versions/{version}/files"
-        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._hub_user['idToken']}"}
+        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {self._get_auth_token()}"}
 
         try:
             response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)