diff --git a/lib/auth.js b/lib/auth.js
index a4160ba9f..7ff3157d8 100755
--- a/lib/auth.js
+++ b/lib/auth.js
@@ -144,11 +144,6 @@ internals.Auth.prototype._routeConfig = function (request) {
 internals.Auth.authenticate = function (request, next) {
 
     var auth = request.server.auth;
-    var config = auth._routeConfig(request);
-    if (!config) {
-        return next();
-    }
-
     return auth._authenticate(request, next);
 };
 
@@ -158,6 +153,11 @@ internals.Auth.prototype._authenticate = function (request, next) {
     var self = this;
 
     var config = this._routeConfig(request);
+    if (!config) {
+        return next();
+    }
+
+    request.auth.mode = config.mode;
 
     var authErrors = [];
     var strategyPos = 0;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 598559524..55f9aaa05 100755
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "hapi",
   "description": "HTTP Server framework",
   "homepage": "http://hapijs.com",
-  "version": "6.1.0",
+  "version": "6.2.0",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "git://github.com/spumko/hapi"
diff --git a/test/auth.js b/test/auth.js
index 0ee534a28..5fdb50dec 100755
--- a/test/auth.js
+++ b/test/auth.js
@@ -41,6 +41,21 @@ describe('Auth', function () {
         });
     });
 
+    it('exposes mode', function (done) {
+
+        var server = new Hapi.Server();
+        server.auth.scheme('custom', internals.implementation);
+        server.auth.strategy('default', 'custom', true, { users: { steve: {} } });
+        server.route({ method: 'GET', path: '/', handler: function (request, reply) { reply(request.auth.mode); } });
+
+        server.inject({ url: '/', headers: { authorization: 'Custom steve' } }, function (res) {
+
+            expect(res.statusCode).to.equal(200);
+            expect(res.result).to.equal('required');
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
     it('sets default', function (done) {
 
         var server = new Hapi.Server();