diff --git a/jose/jws.py b/jose/jws.py
index bfaf6bd0..f5427ffb 100644
--- a/jose/jws.py
+++ b/jose/jws.py
@@ -45,7 +45,56 @@ def sign(payload, key, headers=None, algorithm=ALGORITHMS.HS256):
     return signed_output
 
 
-def verify(token, key, algorithms, verify=True):
+def sign_detached(payload, key, headers=None, algorithm=ALGORITHMS.HS256):
+    """Signs a claims set and returns a JWS as a detached payload string, as per RFC7797
+
+    Args:
+        payload (str or dict): A string to sign
+        key (str or dict): The key to use for signing the claim set. Can be
+            individual JWK or JWK set.
+        headers (dict, optional): A set of headers that will be added to
+            the default headers.  Any headers that are added as additional
+            headers will override the default headers.
+            if the signature needs to be generated on encoded payload, then
+            header has to contain {"b64":True}
+        algorithm (str, optional): The algorithm to use for signing the
+            the claims.  Defaults to HS256.
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The string representation of the header, and signature in detached jws format
+        payload: the payload as received in the request or encoed if {"b4":True} header is passed in the call
+
+    Raises:
+        JWSError: If there is an error signing the token.
+
+    Examples:
+
+        >>> jws.sign_detached({'a': 'b'}, 'secret', algorithm='HS256')
+        'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..jiMyrsmD8AoHWeQgmxZ5yq8z0lXS67_QGs52AzC8Ru8', {'a': 'b'}
+
+
+        >>> jws.sign_detached({'a': 'b'}, 'secret', {"b64": True}, algorithm='HS256')
+        'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..jiMyrsmD8AoHWeQgmxZ5yq8z0lXS67_QGs52AzC8Ru8', eyJhIjoiYiJ9
+
+    """
+
+    if algorithm not in ALGORITHMS.SUPPORTED:
+        raise JWSError("Algorithm %s not supported." % algorithm)
+
+    if headers:
+        if "b64" in headers and headers["b64"] is True:
+            payload = _encode_payload(payload)
+            headers.update({"crit": ["b64"]})
+    else:
+        headers = {"b64": "false"}
+
+    encoded_header = _encode_header(algorithm, additional_headers=headers)
+    signed_output = _sign_header_and_claims(encoded_header, payload, algorithm, key, True)
+
+    return signed_output, payload
+
+
+def verify(token, key, algorithms=None, verify=True, payload=None):
     """Verifies a JWS string's signature.
 
     Args:
@@ -53,9 +102,11 @@ def verify(token, key, algorithms, verify=True):
         key (str or dict): A key to attempt to verify the payload with. Can be
             individual JWK or JWK set.
         algorithms (str or list): Valid algorithms that should be used to verify the JWS.
+        payload (str or dict): Unencoded payload if the token is a detached jws
 
     Returns:
         str: The str representation of the payload, assuming the signature is valid.
+            If the token is a detached jws with "b64" true in the header, the return value will be encoded payload
 
     Raises:
         JWSError: If there is an exception verifying a token.
@@ -65,9 +116,12 @@ def verify(token, key, algorithms, verify=True):
         >>> token = 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJhIjoiYiJ9.jiMyrsmD8AoHWeQgmxZ5yq8z0lXS67_QGs52AzC8Ru8'
         >>> jws.verify(token, 'secret', algorithms='HS256')
 
+        >>> token = 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..jiMyrsmD8AoHWeQgmxZ5yq8z0lXS67_QGs52AzC8Ru8'
+        >>> jws.verify(token, 'secret', algorithms='HS256', payload={"a":"b"})
+
     """
 
-    header, payload, signing_input, signature = _load(token)
+    header, payload, signing_input, signature = _load(token, payload)
 
     if verify:
         _verify_signature(signing_input, header, signature, key, algorithms)
@@ -126,7 +180,7 @@ def get_unverified_claims(token):
 
 
 def _encode_header(algorithm, additional_headers=None):
-    header = {"typ": "JWT", "alg": algorithm}
+    header = {"typ": "JOSE", "alg": algorithm}
 
     if additional_headers:
         header.update(additional_headers)
@@ -153,7 +207,7 @@ def _encode_payload(payload):
     return base64url_encode(payload)
 
 
-def _sign_header_and_claims(encoded_header, encoded_claims, algorithm, key):
+def _sign_header_and_claims(encoded_header, encoded_claims, algorithm, key, is_detached=False):
     signing_input = b".".join([encoded_header, encoded_claims])
     try:
         if not isinstance(key, Key):
@@ -164,12 +218,15 @@ def _sign_header_and_claims(encoded_header, encoded_claims, algorithm, key):
 
     encoded_signature = base64url_encode(signature)
 
-    encoded_string = b".".join([encoded_header, encoded_claims, encoded_signature])
+    if is_detached:
+        encoded_string = b"..".join([encoded_header, encoded_signature])
+    else:
+        encoded_string = b".".join([encoded_header, encoded_claims, encoded_signature])
 
     return encoded_string.decode("utf-8")
 
 
-def _load(jwt):
+def _load(jwt, payload=None):
     if isinstance(jwt, str):
         jwt = jwt.encode("utf-8")
     try:
@@ -189,10 +246,15 @@ def _load(jwt):
     if not isinstance(header, Mapping):
         raise JWSError("Invalid header string: must be a json object")
 
-    try:
-        payload = base64url_decode(claims_segment)
-    except (TypeError, binascii.Error):
-        raise JWSError("Invalid payload padding")
+    if not payload:
+        try:
+            payload = base64url_decode(claims_segment)
+        except (TypeError, binascii.Error):
+            raise JWSError("Invalid payload padding")
+    else:
+        if "b64" in header and header["b64"] is True:
+            payload = _encode_payload(payload)
+        signing_input = b"".join([signing_input, payload])
 
     try:
         signature = base64url_decode(crypto_segment)
diff --git a/tests/test_jws.py b/tests/test_jws.py
index 01b5fd05..1cf3f43c 100644
--- a/tests/test_jws.py
+++ b/tests/test_jws.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from jose.backends import RSAKey
 from jose.constants import ALGORITHMS
 from jose.exceptions import JWSError
+from jose.utils import base64url_decode, base64url_encode
 
 try:
     from jose.backends.cryptography_backend import CryptographyRSAKey
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ def test_add_headers(self, payload):
         expected_headers = {
             "test": "header",
             "alg": "HS256",
-            "typ": "JWT",
+            "typ": "JOSE",
         }
 
         token = jws.sign(payload, "secret", headers=additional_headers)
@@ -307,6 +308,14 @@ def test_jwk_set_failure(self, jwk_set):
         with pytest.raises(JWSError):
             payload = jws.verify(google_id_token, jwk_set, ALGORITHMS.RS256)  # noqa: F841
 
+    def test_RSA256_detached(self, payload):
+        token, payload = jws.sign_detached(payload, rsa_private_key, algorithm=ALGORITHMS.RS256)
+        assert jws.verify(token, rsa_public_key, payload=payload) == payload
+
+    def test_RSA256_detached_encoded(self, payload):
+        token, encoded_payload = jws.sign_detached(payload, rsa_private_key, {"b64": True}, algorithm=ALGORITHMS.RS256)
+        assert jws.verify(token, rsa_public_key, payload=payload) == encoded_payload
+
     def test_RSA256(self, payload):
         token = jws.sign(payload, rsa_private_key, algorithm=ALGORITHMS.RS256)
         assert jws.verify(token, rsa_public_key, ALGORITHMS.RS256) == payload