diff --git a/airbyte_cdk/sources/declarative/auth/jwt.py b/airbyte_cdk/sources/declarative/auth/jwt.py
index 65eb6d1e5..933856c32 100644
--- a/airbyte_cdk/sources/declarative/auth/jwt.py
+++ b/airbyte_cdk/sources/declarative/auth/jwt.py
@@ -183,6 +183,16 @@ def _get_secret_key(self) -> JwtKeyTypes:
         """
         secret_key: str = self._secret_key.eval(self.config, json_loads=json.loads)
 
+        # Normalize escaped newlines for PEM-style keys
+        # This handles cases where keys are stored with literal \n characters instead of actual newlines
+        if (
+            isinstance(secret_key, str)
+            and "\\n" in secret_key
+            and "-----BEGIN" in secret_key
+            and "KEY-----" in secret_key
+        ):
+            secret_key = secret_key.replace("\\n", "\n")
+
         if self._passphrase:
             passphrase_value = self._passphrase.eval(self.config, json_loads=json.loads)
             if passphrase_value:
diff --git a/unit_tests/sources/declarative/auth/test_jwt.py b/unit_tests/sources/declarative/auth/test_jwt.py
index de6d7ac32..35b1efd8e 100644
--- a/unit_tests/sources/declarative/auth/test_jwt.py
+++ b/unit_tests/sources/declarative/auth/test_jwt.py
@@ -392,3 +392,45 @@ def test_get_request_headers(self, request_option, expected_header_key):
         }
 
         assert authenticator.get_auth_header() == expected_headers
+
+    def test_get_signed_token_with_escaped_newlines_in_pem_key(self):
+        """Test that JWT signing works with PEM keys containing escaped newlines."""
+        # Generate a test RSA private key
+        private_key = rsa.generate_private_key(
+            public_exponent=65537, key_size=2048, backend=default_backend()
+        )
+
+        # Get the PEM representation with actual newlines
+        pem_with_newlines = private_key.private_bytes(
+            encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM,
+            format=serialization.PrivateFormat.PKCS8,
+            encryption_algorithm=serialization.NoEncryption(),
+        ).decode()
+
+        # Create a version with escaped newlines (as stored in some systems)
+        pem_with_escaped_newlines = pem_with_newlines.replace("\n", "\\n")
+
+        # Test with escaped newlines - should work after normalization
+        authenticator = JwtAuthenticator(
+            config={},
+            parameters={},
+            secret_key=pem_with_escaped_newlines,
+            algorithm="RS256",
+            token_duration=1000,
+            typ="JWT",
+            iss="test_issuer",
+        )
+
+        signed_token = authenticator._get_signed_token()
+
+        # Verify the token is valid
+        assert isinstance(signed_token, str)
+        assert len(signed_token.split(".")) == 3
+
+        # Verify we can decode it with the public key
+        public_key = private_key.public_key()
+        decoded_payload = jwt.decode(signed_token, public_key, algorithms=["RS256"])
+
+        assert decoded_payload["iss"] == "test_issuer"
+        assert "iat" in decoded_payload
+        assert "exp" in decoded_payload