diff --git a/connector/gitlab/gitlab.go b/connector/gitlab/gitlab.go
index a4ccf738..b9fb3bec 100644
--- a/connector/gitlab/gitlab.go
+++ b/connector/gitlab/gitlab.go
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ type connectorData struct {
 }
 
 var (
-	_ connector.CallbackConnector = (*gitlabConnector)(nil)
-	_ connector.RefreshConnector  = (*gitlabConnector)(nil)
+	_ connector.CallbackConnector      = (*gitlabConnector)(nil)
+	_ connector.RefreshConnector       = (*gitlabConnector)(nil)
+	_ connector.TokenIdentityConnector = (*gitlabConnector)(nil)
 )
 
 type gitlabConnector struct {
@@ -243,6 +244,34 @@ func (c *gitlabConnector) Refresh(ctx context.Context, s connector.Scopes, ident
 	}
 }
 
+// TokenIdentity is used for token exchange, verifying a GitLab access token
+// and returning the associated user identity. This enables direct authentication
+// with Dex using an existing GitLab token without going through the OAuth flow.
+//
+// Note: The connector decides whether to fetch groups based on its configuration
+// (groups filter, getGroupsPermission), not on the scopes from the token exchange request.
+// The server will then decide whether to include groups in the final token based on
+// the requested scopes. This matches the behavior of other connectors (e.g., OIDC).
+func (c *gitlabConnector) TokenIdentity(ctx context.Context, _, subjectToken string) (connector.Identity, error) {
+	if c.httpClient != nil {
+		ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, oauth2.HTTPClient, c.httpClient)
+	}
+
+	token := &oauth2.Token{
+		AccessToken: subjectToken,
+		TokenType:   "Bearer", // GitLab tokens are typically Bearer tokens even if the type is not explicitly provided.
+	}
+
+	// For token exchange, we determine if groups should be fetched based on connector configuration.
+	// If the connector has groups filter or getGroupsPermission enabled, we fetch groups.
+	scopes := connector.Scopes{
+		// Scopes are not provided in token exchange, so we request groups every time and return only if configured.
+		Groups: true,
+	}
+
+	return c.identity(ctx, scopes, token)
+}
+
 func (c *gitlabConnector) groupsRequired(groupScope bool) bool {
 	return len(c.groups) > 0 || groupScope
 }
diff --git a/connector/gitlab/gitlab_test.go b/connector/gitlab/gitlab_test.go
index 28ff2643..92614643 100644
--- a/connector/gitlab/gitlab_test.go
+++ b/connector/gitlab/gitlab_test.go
@@ -485,3 +485,88 @@ func expectEquals(t *testing.T, a interface{}, b interface{}) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected %+v to equal %+v", a, b)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTokenIdentity(t *testing.T) {
+	// Note: These tests verify that the connector returns groups based on its configuration.
+	// The actual inclusion of groups in the final Dex token depends on the 'groups' scope
+	// in the token exchange request, which is handled by the Dex server, not the connector.
+	tests := []struct {
+		name                string
+		userInfo            userInfo
+		groups              []string
+		getGroupsPermission bool
+		useLoginAsID        bool
+		expectUserID        string
+		expectGroups        []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:         "without groups config",
+			expectUserID: "12345678",
+			expectGroups: nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "with groups filter",
+			userInfo: userInfo{
+				Groups: []string{"team-1", "team-2"},
+			},
+			groups:       []string{"team-1"},
+			expectUserID: "12345678",
+			expectGroups: []string{"team-1"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "with groups permission",
+			userInfo: userInfo{
+				Groups:               []string{"ops", "dev"},
+				OwnerPermission:      []string{"ops"},
+				DeveloperPermission:  []string{"dev"},
+				MaintainerPermission: []string{},
+			},
+			getGroupsPermission: true,
+			expectUserID:        "12345678",
+			expectGroups:        []string{"ops", "dev", "ops:owner", "dev:developer"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "with useLoginAsID",
+			useLoginAsID: true,
+			expectUserID: "joebloggs",
+			expectGroups: nil,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			responses := map[string]interface{}{
+				"/api/v4/user": gitlabUser{
+					Email:    "some@email.com",
+					ID:       12345678,
+					Name:     "Joe Bloggs",
+					Username: "joebloggs",
+				},
+				"/oauth/userinfo": tc.userInfo,
+			}
+
+			s := newTestServer(responses)
+			defer s.Close()
+
+			c := gitlabConnector{
+				baseURL:             s.URL,
+				httpClient:          newClient(),
+				groups:              tc.groups,
+				getGroupsPermission: tc.getGroupsPermission,
+				useLoginAsID:        tc.useLoginAsID,
+			}
+
+			accessToken := "test-access-token"
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			identity, err := c.TokenIdentity(ctx, "urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:access_token", accessToken)
+
+			expectNil(t, err)
+			expectEquals(t, identity.UserID, tc.expectUserID)
+			expectEquals(t, identity.Username, "Joe Bloggs")
+			expectEquals(t, identity.PreferredUsername, "joebloggs")
+			expectEquals(t, identity.Email, "some@email.com")
+			expectEquals(t, identity.EmailVerified, true)
+			expectEquals(t, identity.Groups, tc.expectGroups)
+		})
+	}
+}