diff --git a/horizon/middleware.py b/horizon/middleware.py
index da98aba2a5..e4b72b29fd 100644
--- a/horizon/middleware.py
+++ b/horizon/middleware.py
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ class HorizonMiddleware(object):
                            'panel': None,
                            'async_messages': []}
 
+        if not hasattr(request, "user") or not request.user.is_authenticated():
+            # proceed no further if the current request is already known
+            # not to be authenticated
+            return None
+
         # If we use cookie-based sessions, check that the cookie size does not
         # reach the max size accepted by common web browsers.
         if (
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/settings.py b/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
index 7950e80779..315811dd38 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
@@ -251,3 +251,10 @@ COMPRESS_OFFLINE_CONTEXT = {
 
 if DEBUG:
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+
+# during django reloads and an active user is logged in, the monkey
+# patch below will not otherwise be applied in time - resulting in developers
+# appearing to be logged out.  In typical production deployments this section
+# below may be ommited, though it should not be harmful
+from openstack_auth import utils as auth_utils
+auth_utils.patch_middleware_get_user()