diff --git a/awx/api/generics.py b/awx/api/generics.py
index fcc48322ce..869c29277a 100644
--- a/awx/api/generics.py
+++ b/awx/api/generics.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
 # Django REST Framework
 from rest_framework.authentication import get_authorization_header
-from rest_framework.exceptions import PermissionDenied
+from rest_framework.exceptions import PermissionDenied, AuthenticationFailed
 from rest_framework import generics
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework import status
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ class APIView(views.APIView):
 
         drf_request = super(APIView, self).initialize_request(request, *args, **kwargs)
         request.drf_request = drf_request
+        try:
+            request.drf_request_user = getattr(drf_request, 'user', False)
+        except AuthenticationFailed:
+            request.drf_request_user = None
         return drf_request
 
     def finalize_response(self, request, response, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/awx/main/signals.py b/awx/main/signals.py
index aa5266d31a..bc885b2c7f 100644
--- a/awx/main/signals.py
+++ b/awx/main/signals.py
@@ -558,8 +558,8 @@ def get_current_user_from_drf_request(sender, **kwargs):
     drf_request on the underlying Django Request object.
     '''
     request = get_current_request()
-    drf_request = getattr(request, 'drf_request', None)
-    return (getattr(drf_request, 'user', False), 0)
+    drf_request_user = getattr(request, 'drf_request_user', False)
+    return (drf_request_user, 0)
 
 
 @receiver(pre_delete, sender=Organization)