diff --git a/include/authorization.hpp b/include/authorization.hpp
index c078ede..b1d1097 100644
--- a/include/authorization.hpp
+++ b/include/authorization.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
 #include <boost/container/flat_set.hpp>
 #include <common.hpp>
+#include <forward_unauthorized.hpp>
 #include <http_request.hpp>
 #include <http_response.hpp>
 #include <http_utility.hpp>
@@ -299,26 +300,7 @@
     if (req.session == nullptr)
     {
         BMCWEB_LOG_WARNING << "[AuthMiddleware] authorization failed";
-
-        // If it's a browser connecting, don't send the HTTP authenticate
-        // header, to avoid possible CSRF attacks with basic auth
-        if (http_helpers::requestPrefersHtml(req))
-        {
-            res.result(boost::beast::http::status::temporary_redirect);
-            res.addHeader("Location",
-                          "/#/login?next=" + http_helpers::urlEncode(req.url));
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            res.result(boost::beast::http::status::unauthorized);
-            // only send the WWW-authenticate header if this isn't a xhr
-            // from the browser.  most scripts,
-            if (req.getHeaderValue("User-Agent").empty())
-            {
-                res.addHeader("WWW-Authenticate", "Basic");
-            }
-        }
-
+        forward_unauthorized::sendUnauthorized(req, res);
         res.end();
         return;
     }
diff --git a/include/forward_unauthorized.hpp b/include/forward_unauthorized.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02e1123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/forward_unauthorized.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <http_request.hpp>
+#include <http_response.hpp>
+#include <http_utility.hpp>
+
+namespace forward_unauthorized
+{
+
+bool hasWebuiRoute = false;
+
+inline void sendUnauthorized(const crow::Request& req, crow::Response& res)
+{
+    // If it's a browser connecting, don't send the HTTP authenticate
+    // header, to avoid possible CSRF attacks with basic auth
+    if (http_helpers::requestPrefersHtml(req))
+    {
+        // If we have a webui installed, redirect to that login page
+        if (hasWebuiRoute)
+        {
+            res.result(boost::beast::http::status::temporary_redirect);
+            res.addHeader("Location",
+                          "/#/login?next=" + http_helpers::urlEncode(req.url));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // If we don't have a webui installed, just return a lame
+            // unauthorized body
+            res.result(boost::beast::http::status::unauthorized);
+            res.body() = "Unauthorized";
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        res.result(boost::beast::http::status::unauthorized);
+        // only send the WWW-authenticate header if this isn't a xhr
+        // from the browser.  Most scripts, tend to not set a user-agent header.
+        // So key off that to know whether or not we need to suggest basic auth
+        if (req.getHeaderValue("User-Agent").empty())
+        {
+            res.addHeader("WWW-Authenticate", "Basic");
+        }
+    }
+}
+} // namespace forward_unauthorized
diff --git a/include/webassets.hpp b/include/webassets.hpp
index 070442e..f92214f 100644
--- a/include/webassets.hpp
+++ b/include/webassets.hpp
@@ -142,6 +142,11 @@
                                  << extension;
             }
 
+            if (webpath == "/")
+            {
+                forward_unauthorized::hasWebuiRoute = true;
+            }
+
             app.routeDynamic(webpath)(
                 [absolutePath, contentType, contentEncoding](
                     const crow::Request&,