diff --git a/rest_framework_jwt/serializers.py b/rest_framework_jwt/serializers.py
index 12b10a44..3208f6b6 100644
--- a/rest_framework_jwt/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework_jwt/serializers.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import authenticate, get_user_model
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from rest_framework import serializers
+from rest_framework import exceptions
 from .compat import Serializer
 
 from rest_framework_jwt.settings import api_settings
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
             if user:
                 if not user.is_active:
                     msg = _('User account is disabled.')
-                    raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+                    raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
                 payload = jwt_payload_handler(user)
 
@@ -62,11 +63,11 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
                 }
             else:
                 msg = _('Unable to log in with provided credentials.')
-                raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+                raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
         else:
             msg = _('Must include "{username_field}" and "password".')
             msg = msg.format(username_field=self.username_field)
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
 
 class VerificationBaseSerializer(Serializer):
@@ -86,10 +87,10 @@ def _check_payload(self, token):
             payload = jwt_decode_handler(token)
         except jwt.ExpiredSignature:
             msg = _('Signature has expired.')
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
         except jwt.DecodeError:
             msg = _('Error decoding signature.')
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
         return payload
 
@@ -98,18 +99,18 @@ def _check_user(self, payload):
 
         if not username:
             msg = _('Invalid payload.')
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
         # Make sure user exists
         try:
             user = User.objects.get_by_natural_key(username)
         except User.DoesNotExist:
             msg = _("User doesn't exist.")
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
         if not user.is_active:
             msg = _('User account is disabled.')
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
         return user
 
@@ -157,10 +158,10 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
 
             if now_timestamp > expiration_timestamp:
                 msg = _('Refresh has expired.')
-                raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+                raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
         else:
             msg = _('orig_iat field is required.')
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(msg)
+            raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed(msg)
 
         new_payload = jwt_payload_handler(user)
         new_payload['orig_iat'] = orig_iat
@@ -168,4 +169,4 @@ def validate(self, attrs):
         return {
             'token': jwt_encode_handler(new_payload),
             'user': user
-        }
+        }
\ No newline at end of file