diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/portlet/WebClientPortletAuthenticatorFactory.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/portlet/WebClientPortletAuthenticatorFactory.java
index 2fd8a91279..b3d641d2b9 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/portlet/WebClientPortletAuthenticatorFactory.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/portlet/WebClientPortletAuthenticatorFactory.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2009 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
@@ -167,7 +167,20 @@ public class WebClientPortletAuthenticatorFactory implements PortletAuthenticato
             
             return true;
         }
-    
+        
+        /* (non-Javadoc)
+         * @see org.alfresco.web.scripts.Authenticator#emptyCredentials()
+         */
+        public boolean emptyCredentials()
+        {
+            String portalUser = (String)req.getPortletSession().getAttribute(WebScriptPortletRequest.ALFPORTLETUSERNAME);
+            if (portalUser == null)
+            {
+                portalUser = req.getRemoteUser();
+            }
+            return (portalUser == null);
+        }
+        
         /**
          * Helper.  Remove Web Client session invalidated flag
          * 
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/servlet/WebClientAuthenticatorFactory.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/servlet/WebClientAuthenticatorFactory.java
index a36c46b8c9..efea3a54bb 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/servlet/WebClientAuthenticatorFactory.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/servlet/WebClientAuthenticatorFactory.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2009 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
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ public class WebClientAuthenticatorFactory implements ServletAuthenticatorFactor
         private WebScriptServletRequest servletReq;
         private WebScriptServletResponse servletRes;
         
+        private String ticket;
+        
         /**
          * Construct
          * 
@@ -97,6 +99,8 @@ public class WebClientAuthenticatorFactory implements ServletAuthenticatorFactor
         {
             this.servletReq = req;
             this.servletRes = res;
+            
+            this.ticket = req.getParameter("ticket");
         }
         
         /* (non-Javadoc)
@@ -113,14 +117,14 @@ public class WebClientAuthenticatorFactory implements ServletAuthenticatorFactor
                 // 
                 HttpServletRequest req = servletReq.getHttpServletRequest();
                 HttpServletResponse res = servletRes.getHttpServletResponse();
-                String ticket = req.getParameter("ticket");
+                
                 
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
                 {
                     logger.debug("Alfresco ticket provided: " + (ticket != null && ticket.length() > 0));
                 }
             
-                if (ticket != null && ticket.length() > 0)
+                if (! emptyCredentials())
                 {
                     if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
                         logger.debug("Authenticating ticket " + ticket);
@@ -164,6 +168,14 @@ public class WebClientAuthenticatorFactory implements ServletAuthenticatorFactor
             
             return !(status == null || status == AuthenticationStatus.Failure);
         }
+        
+        /* (non-Javadoc)
+         * @see org.alfresco.web.scripts.Authenticator#emptyCredentials()
+         */
+        public boolean emptyCredentials()
+        {
+            return (ticket == null || ticket.length() == 0);
+        }
     }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file