diff --git a/.idea/runConfigurations/preserve_existing_user_in_callback_test_dart.xml b/.idea/runConfigurations/preserve_existing_user_in_callback_test_dart.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d1726e07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/runConfigurations/preserve_existing_user_in_callback_test_dart.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
+  <configuration default="false" name="preserve existing user in callback_test.dart" type="DartTestRunConfigurationType" factoryName="Dart Test" singleton="true" nameIsGenerated="true">
+    <option name="filePath" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/test/callback_test.dart" />
+    <option name="scope" value="GROUP_OR_TEST_BY_NAME" />
+    <option name="testName" value="preserve existing user" />
+    <method />
+  </configuration>
+</component>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 93902309..9a3119e0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# 1.1.1+3
+* `authenticate` returns the current user, if one is present.
+
 # 1.1.1+2
 * `_apply` now always sends a `token` cookie.
 
diff --git a/lib/src/plugin.dart b/lib/src/plugin.dart
index a53b05db..5051bd41 100644
--- a/lib/src/plugin.dart
+++ b/lib/src/plugin.dart
@@ -262,7 +262,11 @@ class AngelAuth<T> {
             (AuthStrategy x) => x.name == name,
             orElse: () =>
                 throw new ArgumentError('No strategy "$name" found.'));
-        var result = await strategy.authenticate(req, res, options);
+
+        var hasExisting = req.properties.containsKey('user');
+        var result = hasExisting
+            ? req.properties['user']
+            : await strategy.authenticate(req, res, options);
         if (result == true)
           return result;
         else if (result != false) {
@@ -292,11 +296,10 @@ class AngelAuth<T> {
             res.redirect(options.successRedirect, code: HttpStatus.OK);
             return false;
           } else if (options?.canRespondWithJson != false &&
-              req.headers.value("accept") != null &&
-              (req.headers.value("accept").contains("application/json") ||
-                  req.headers.value("accept").contains("*/*") ||
-                  req.headers.value("accept").contains("application/*"))) {
-            var user = await deserializer(await serializer(result as T));
+              req.accepts('application/json')) {
+            var user = hasExisting
+                ? result as T
+                : await deserializer(await serializer(result as T));
             _onLogin.add(user);
             return {"data": user, "token": jwt};
           }
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 4bb86fb9..b748867a 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: angel_auth
 description: A complete authentication plugin for Angel.
-version: 1.1.1+2
+version: 1.1.1+3
 author: Tobe O <thosakwe@gmail.com>
 homepage: https://github.com/angel-dart/angel_auth
 environment:
diff --git a/test/callback_test.dart b/test/callback_test.dart
index e1796cc5..e412fc44 100644
--- a/test/callback_test.dart
+++ b/test/callback_test.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:angel_auth/angel_auth.dart';
 import 'package:angel_framework/angel_framework.dart';
 import 'package:angel_framework/common.dart';
+import 'package:dart2_constant/convert.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ main() {
     angelHttp = new AngelHttp(app, useZone: false);
     app.use('/users', new TypedService<User>(new MapService()));
 
-    await app
+    User jdoe = await app
         .service('users')
         .create({'username': 'jdoe1', 'password': 'password'});
 
@@ -53,6 +54,12 @@ main() {
             ..end();
         })));
 
+    app.chain((RequestContext req) {
+      req.properties['user'] =
+          new User(username: req.params['name']?.toString());
+      return true;
+    }).post('/existing/:name', auth.authenticate('local'));
+
     client = new http.Client();
     server = await angelHttp.startServer();
     url = 'http://${server.address.address}:${server.port}';
@@ -72,4 +79,12 @@ main() {
     print('Response: ${response.body}');
     expect(response.body, equals('Hello!'));
   });
+
+  test('preserve existing user', () async {
+    final response = await client.post('$url/existing/foo',
+        body: {'username': 'jdoe1', 'password': 'password'},
+        headers: {'accept': 'application/json'});
+    print('Response: ${response.body}');
+    expect(json.decode(response.body)['data']['username'], equals('foo'));
+  });
 }