diff --git a/src/app/api/auth/status/route.js b/src/app/api/auth/status/route.js
index 32cc503b..ebef5766 100644
--- a/src/app/api/auth/status/route.js
+++ b/src/app/api/auth/status/route.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export async function GET() {
       hasPassword: !!settings.password,
       displayName,
       loginMethod,
+      authenticated: !!session,
       oidcName: oidcName || null,
       oidcEmail: oidcEmail || null,
       oidcLogin: !!session?.oidc,
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export async function GET() {
       hasPassword: false,
       displayName: "Password user",
       loginMethod: "Password",
+      authenticated: false,
       oidcName: null,
       oidcEmail: null,
       oidcLogin: false,
diff --git a/src/app/login/page.js b/src/app/login/page.js
index 8e50a191..86c7b7d4 100644
--- a/src/app/login/page.js
+++ b/src/app/login/page.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export default function LoginPage() {
 
         if (res.ok) {
           const data = await res.json();
-          if (data.requireLogin === false) {
+          if (data.authenticated === true || data.requireLogin === false) {
             window.location.assign("/dashboard");
             return;
           }
diff --git a/tests/unit/auth-status.test.js b/tests/unit/auth-status.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e384bb72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/auth-status.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  json: vi.fn((body, init) => ({
+    status: init?.status || 200,
+    body,
+  })),
+  cookies: vi.fn(),
+  getSettings: vi.fn(),
+  isOidcConfigured: vi.fn(),
+  getDashboardAuthSession: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("next/server", () => ({
+  NextResponse: { json: mocks.json },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("next/headers", () => ({
+  cookies: mocks.cookies,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/localDb", () => ({
+  getSettings: mocks.getSettings,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/auth/oidc", () => ({
+  isOidcConfigured: mocks.isOidcConfigured,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/auth/dashboardSession", () => ({
+  getDashboardAuthSession: mocks.getDashboardAuthSession,
+}));
+
+const { GET } = await import("../../src/app/api/auth/status/route.js");
+
+describe("GET /api/auth/status", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    mocks.getSettings.mockResolvedValue({ requireLogin: true, authMode: "password" });
+    mocks.cookies.mockResolvedValue({ get: vi.fn(() => ({ value: "session-token" })) });
+    mocks.isOidcConfigured.mockReturnValue(false);
+  });
+
+  it("reports an authenticated session when the auth cookie is valid", async () => {
+    mocks.getDashboardAuthSession.mockResolvedValue({ authenticated: true });
+
+    const response = await GET();
+
+    expect(response.body.authenticated).toBe(true);
+    expect(mocks.getDashboardAuthSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith("session-token");
+  });
+
+  it("reports unauthenticated when the auth cookie is invalid", async () => {
+    mocks.getDashboardAuthSession.mockResolvedValue(null);
+
+    const response = await GET();
+
+    expect(response.body.authenticated).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("fails closed when status dependencies throw", async () => {
+    mocks.getSettings.mockRejectedValue(new Error("database unavailable"));
+
+    const response = await GET();
+
+    expect(response.body.authenticated).toBe(false);
+    expect(response.body.requireLogin).toBe(true);
+  });
+});