diff --git a/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/InvalidAuthProvider.cs b/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/InvalidAuthProvider.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee25695621
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/InvalidAuthProvider.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.Authentication;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities;
+
+namespace Emby.Server.Implementations.Library
+{
+    public class InvalidAuthProvider : IAuthenticationProvider
+    {
+        public string Name => "InvalidorMissingAuthenticationProvider";
+
+        public bool IsEnabled => true;
+
+        public Task<ProviderAuthenticationResult> Authenticate(string username, string password)
+        {
+            throw new Exception("User Account cannot login with this provider. The Normal provider for this user cannot be found");
+        }
+
+        public Task<bool> HasPassword(User user)
+        {
+            return Task.FromResult(true);
+        }
+
+        public Task ChangePassword(User user, string newPassword)
+        {
+            return Task.FromResult(true);
+        }
+
+        public void ChangeEasyPassword(User user, string newPassword, string newPasswordHash)
+        {
+            // Nothing here   
+        }
+
+        public string GetPasswordHash(User user)
+        {
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        public string GetEasyPasswordHash(User user)
+        {
+            return "";
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/UserManager.cs b/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/UserManager.cs
index a0b8d4ba42..ca43f7aaa1 100644
--- a/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/UserManager.cs
+++ b/Emby.Server.Implementations/Library/UserManager.cs
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ namespace Emby.Server.Implementations.Library
         private IAuthenticationProvider[] _authenticationProviders;
         private DefaultAuthenticationProvider _defaultAuthenticationProvider;
 
+        private InvalidAuthProvider _invalidAuthProvider;
+
         private IPasswordResetProvider[] _passwordResetProviders;
         private DefaultPasswordResetProvider _defaultPasswordResetProvider;
 
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ namespace Emby.Server.Implementations.Library
 
             _defaultAuthenticationProvider = _authenticationProviders.OfType<DefaultAuthenticationProvider>().First();
 
+            _invalidAuthProvider = _authenticationProviders.OfType<InvalidAuthProvider>().First();
+
             _passwordResetProviders = passwordResetProviders.ToArray();
 
             _defaultPasswordResetProvider = passwordResetProviders.OfType<DefaultPasswordResetProvider>().First();
@@ -307,11 +311,14 @@ namespace Emby.Server.Implementations.Library
                     user = Users
                         .FirstOrDefault(i => string.Equals(username, i.Name, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
 
-                    var hasNewUserPolicy = authenticationProvider as IHasNewUserPolicy;
-                    if (hasNewUserPolicy != null)
+                    if (authenticationProvider.GetType() != typeof(InvalidAuthProvider))
                     {
-                        var policy = hasNewUserPolicy.GetNewUserPolicy();
-                        UpdateUserPolicy(user, policy, true);
+                        var hasNewUserPolicy = authenticationProvider as IHasNewUserPolicy;
+                        if (hasNewUserPolicy != null)
+                        {
+                            var policy = hasNewUserPolicy.GetNewUserPolicy();
+                            UpdateUserPolicy(user, policy, true);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -400,7 +407,10 @@ namespace Emby.Server.Implementations.Library
 
             if (providers.Length == 0)
             {
-                providers = new IAuthenticationProvider[] { _defaultAuthenticationProvider };
+                // this function used to assign any user without an auth provider to the default.
+                // we're going to have it use a new function now.
+                _logger.LogWarning($"The user {user.Name} was found but no Authentication Provider with ID: {user.Policy.AuthenticationProviderId} was found. Assigning user to InvalidAuthProvider temporarily");
+                providers = new IAuthenticationProvider[] { _invalidAuthProvider };
             }
 
             return providers;