diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/alfresco/web/scripts/servlet/X509ServletFilterBase.java b/core/src/main/java/org/alfresco/web/scripts/servlet/X509ServletFilterBase.java
index 9998072a06..08fdd508d3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/alfresco/web/scripts/servlet/X509ServletFilterBase.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/alfresco/web/scripts/servlet/X509ServletFilterBase.java
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ public abstract class X509ServletFilterBase implements Filter
                 logger.debug("Initializing X509ServletFilter");
             }
 
-            this.handleClientAuth();
-
             this.enforce = checkEnforce(config.getServletContext());
 
             if(logger.isDebugEnabled())
@@ -85,6 +83,8 @@ public abstract class X509ServletFilterBase implements Filter
 
             if (this.enforce)
             {
+                this.handleClientAuth();
+
                 /*
                 * We are enforcing so get the cert-contains string.
                 */