diff --git a/kallithea/lib/auth.py b/kallithea/lib/auth.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/auth.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/auth.py
@@ -626,10 +626,6 @@ class AuthUser(object):
         return "<AuthUser('id:%s[%s] auth:%s')>"\
             % (self.user_id, self.username, self.is_authenticated)
 
-    def set_authenticated(self, authenticated=True):
-        if not self.is_default_user:
-            self.is_authenticated = authenticated
-
     def to_cookie(self):
         """ Serializes this login session to a cookie `dict`. """
         return {
@@ -650,7 +646,8 @@ class AuthUser(object):
         )
         if not au.is_authenticated and au.user_id is not None:
             # user is not authenticated and not empty
-            au.set_authenticated(cookie.get('is_authenticated'))
+            if not au.is_default_user:
+                au.is_authenticated = cookie.get('is_authenticated')
         return au
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/base.py b/kallithea/lib/base.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/base.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/base.py
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ def log_in_user(user, remember, is_exter
 
     auth_user = AuthUser(dbuser=user,
                          is_external_auth=is_external_auth)
-    auth_user.set_authenticated()
+    if not auth_user.is_default_user:
+        auth_user.is_authenticated = True
 
     # Start new session to prevent session fixation attacks.
     session.invalidate()