diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawlTestP.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawlTestP.java
index a12b9bb848..f7a5f8bc70 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawlTestP.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawlTestP.java
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ package org.alfresco.repo.avm;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import net.sf.acegisecurity.Authentication;
+
 import org.alfresco.repo.avm.util.BulkLoader;
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationUtil;
 
 
 /**
@@ -72,6 +75,7 @@ public class AVMCrawlTestP extends AVMServiceTestBase
      */
     private void testCrawl(int n, String fsPath, int m, long runTime)
     {
+        Authentication authentication = AuthenticationUtil.setCurrentUser(AuthenticationUtil.SYSTEM_USER_NAME);
         try
         {
             if (m < 1)
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ public class AVMCrawlTestP extends AVMServiceTestBase
             List<Thread> threads = new ArrayList<Thread>();
             for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
             {
-                crawlers.add(new AVMCrawler(fService));
+                crawlers.add(new AVMCrawler(fService, authentication));
                 threads.add(new Thread(crawlers.get(i)));
                 threads.get(i).start();
             }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawler.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawler.java
index 8c0900b2bb..72e686e291 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawler.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/avm/AVMCrawler.java
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Random;
 
+import net.sf.acegisecurity.Authentication;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationUtil;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.avm.AVMException;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.avm.AVMNodeDescriptor;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.avm.AVMService;
@@ -51,6 +54,8 @@ class AVMCrawler implements Runnable
      * The AVMService to use.
      */
     private AVMService fService;
+    
+    private Authentication authentication;
 
     /**
      * The Operation count.
@@ -77,9 +82,10 @@ class AVMCrawler implements Runnable
      * Make up a new one.
      * @param service The AVMService.
      */
-    public AVMCrawler(AVMService service)
+    public AVMCrawler(AVMService service, Authentication authentication)
     {
         fService = service;
+        this.authentication = authentication;
         fOpCount = 0;
         fDone = false;
         fError = false;
@@ -117,6 +123,7 @@ class AVMCrawler implements Runnable
     {
         try
         {
+            AuthenticationUtil.setCurrentAuthentication(authentication);
             while (!fDone)
             {
                 doCrawl();
@@ -133,6 +140,10 @@ class AVMCrawler implements Runnable
             fError = true;
             fErrorStackTrace = sw.toString();
         }
+        finally
+        {
+            AuthenticationUtil.clearCurrentSecurityContext();
+        }
     }
 
     /**