diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.desc.xml b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.desc.xml
index c07f4b1633..42a2e8263f 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.desc.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.desc.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 <webscript>
   <shortname>Touch</shortname>
-  <description>Touch the server - return a simple 200 OK status</description>
+  <description>SSO authentication touch point - return a simple 200 OK status</description>
   <url>/touch</url>
-  <format default="html"/>
+  <format default="">argument</format>
   <authentication>none</authentication>
   <transaction>none</transaction>
 </webscript>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.html.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/touch.get.html.ftl
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2..0000000000
diff --git a/config/alfresco/web-scripts-application-context.xml b/config/alfresco/web-scripts-application-context.xml
index a7852ed3e9..7af2da8c5c 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/web-scripts-application-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/web-scripts-application-context.xml
@@ -278,6 +278,9 @@
       <property name="store"><value>sitestore</value></property>
       -->
    </bean>
+   
+   <!-- Web-tier SSO authentication touch point -->
+   <bean id="webscript.org.alfresco.repository.touch.get" class="org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.bean.Touch" parent="webscript" />
 
 
    <!--                            -->
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/bean/Touch.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/bean/Touch.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f415d79d66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/bean/Touch.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+
+ * As a special exception to the terms and conditions of version 2.0 of 
+ * the GPL, you may redistribute this Program in connection with Free/Libre 
+ * and Open Source Software ("FLOSS") applications as described in Alfresco's 
+ * FLOSS exception.  You should have recieved a copy of the text describing 
+ * the FLOSS exception, and it is also available here: 
+ * http://www.alfresco.com/legal/licensing
+ */
+package org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.bean;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+import org.alfresco.web.scripts.AbstractWebScript;
+import org.alfresco.web.scripts.Status;
+import org.alfresco.web.scripts.WebScriptRequest;
+import org.alfresco.web.scripts.WebScriptResponse;
+
+/**
+ * WebScript java backed bean implementation - to simple return a STATUS_OK message
+ * as a touch point for SSO authentication mechanisms on the web-tier. Such as NTLM.
+ * 
+ * @author Kevin Roast
+ */
+public class Touch extends AbstractWebScript
+{
+    /* (non-Javadoc)
+     * @see org.alfresco.web.scripts.WebScript#execute(org.alfresco.web.scripts.WebScriptRequest, org.alfresco.web.scripts.WebScriptResponse)
+     */
+    public void execute(WebScriptRequest req, WebScriptResponse res) throws IOException
+    {
+        res.setStatus(Status.STATUS_OK);
+        res.getWriter().close();
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file