diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 463f827..e71f60c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 ]
 
 tests_require = [
-    'coverage==.4.4.2',
+    'coverage==4.4.2',
     'pytest==3.3.2',
     'pytest-cov==2.5.1',
     'pytest-django==3.1.2',
diff --git a/src/django_cognito_jwt/backend.py b/src/django_cognito_jwt/backend.py
index 2a86351..3f5f35d 100644
--- a/src/django_cognito_jwt/backend.py
+++ b/src/django_cognito_jwt/backend.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from rest_framework import exceptions
 from rest_framework.authentication import BaseAuthentication, get_authorization_header
+from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
+
 
 from django_cognito_jwt.validator import TokenError, TokenValidator
 
@@ -28,10 +30,21 @@ def authenticate(self, request):
         except TokenError:
             raise exceptions.AuthenticationFailed()
 
-        USER_MODEL = self.get_user_model()
-        user = USER_MODEL.objects.get_or_create_for_cognito(jwt_payload)
+        custom_user_manager = self.get_custom_user_manager()
+        if custom_user_manager:
+            user = custom_user_manager.get_or_create_for_cognito(jwt_payload)
+        else:
+            USER_MODEL = self.get_user_model()
+            user = USER_MODEL.objects.get_or_create_for_cognito(jwt_payload)
         return (user, jwt_token)
 
+    def get_custom_user_manager(self):
+        result = None
+        custom_user_manager_path = getattr(settings, "COGNITO_USER_MANAGER", False)
+        if(custom_user_manager_path):
+            result = import_string(custom_user_manager_path)()
+        return result
+
     def get_user_model(self):
         user_model = getattr(settings, "COGNITO_USER_MODEL", settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL)
         return django_apps.get_model(user_model, require_ready=False)