diff --git a/src/nc_message.c b/src/nc_message.c
index abfe8bc5..de3b6326 100644
--- a/src/nc_message.c
+++ b/src/nc_message.c
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@ _msg_get(void)
     msg->token = NULL;
 
     msg->parser = NULL;
-    msg->add_auth = NULL;
     msg->result = MSG_PARSE_OK;
 
     msg->fragment = NULL;
@@ -293,7 +292,6 @@ msg_get(struct conn *conn, bool request, bool redis)
         } else {
             msg->parser = redis_parse_rsp;
         }
-        msg->add_auth = redis_add_auth;
         msg->fragment = redis_fragment;
         msg->reply = redis_reply;
         msg->failure = redis_failure;
@@ -305,7 +303,6 @@ msg_get(struct conn *conn, bool request, bool redis)
         } else {
             msg->parser = memcache_parse_rsp;
         }
-        msg->add_auth = memcache_add_auth;
         msg->fragment = memcache_fragment;
         msg->failure = memcache_failure;
         msg->pre_coalesce = memcache_pre_coalesce;
diff --git a/src/nc_message.h b/src/nc_message.h
index 2844c824..65032d6d 100644
--- a/src/nc_message.h
+++ b/src/nc_message.h
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include <nc_core.h>
 
 typedef void (*msg_parse_t)(struct msg *);
-typedef rstatus_t (*msg_add_auth_t)(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn);
 typedef rstatus_t (*msg_fragment_t)(struct msg *, uint32_t, struct msg_tqh *);
 typedef void (*msg_coalesce_t)(struct msg *r);
 typedef rstatus_t (*msg_reply_t)(struct msg *r);
@@ -223,7 +222,6 @@ struct msg {
 
     msg_fragment_t       fragment;        /* message fragment */
     msg_reply_t          reply;           /* generate message reply (example: ping) */
-    msg_add_auth_t       add_auth;        /* add auth message when we forward msg */
     msg_failure_t        failure;         /* transient failure response? */
 
     msg_coalesce_t       pre_coalesce;    /* message pre-coalesce */
diff --git a/src/nc_request.c b/src/nc_request.c
index 5fc4190a..341aaea3 100644
--- a/src/nc_request.c
+++ b/src/nc_request.c
@@ -593,15 +593,6 @@ req_forward(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct msg *msg)
         }
     }
 
-    if (!conn_authenticated(s_conn)) {
-        status = msg->add_auth(ctx, c_conn, s_conn);
-        if (status != NC_OK) {
-            req_forward_error(ctx, c_conn, msg);
-            s_conn->err = errno;
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
     s_conn->enqueue_inq(ctx, s_conn, msg);
 
     req_forward_stats(ctx, s_conn->owner, msg);
diff --git a/src/proto/nc_memcache.c b/src/proto/nc_memcache.c
index be3c5f54..7dbcd9ad 100644
--- a/src/proto/nc_memcache.c
+++ b/src/proto/nc_memcache.c
@@ -1545,13 +1545,6 @@ memcache_swallow_msg(struct conn *conn, struct msg *pmsg, struct msg *msg)
 {
 }
 
-rstatus_t
-memcache_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn)
-{
-    NOT_REACHED();
-    return NC_OK;
-}
-
 rstatus_t
 memcache_reply(struct msg *r)
 {
diff --git a/src/proto/nc_proto.h b/src/proto/nc_proto.h
index 62370290..b6426dc6 100644
--- a/src/proto/nc_proto.h
+++ b/src/proto/nc_proto.h
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ void memcache_parse_rsp(struct msg *r);
 bool memcache_failure(struct msg *r);
 void memcache_pre_coalesce(struct msg *r);
 void memcache_post_coalesce(struct msg *r);
-rstatus_t memcache_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn);
 rstatus_t memcache_fragment(struct msg *r, uint32_t ncontinuum, struct msg_tqh *frag_msgq);
 rstatus_t memcache_reply(struct msg *r);
 void memcache_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server);
@@ -154,7 +153,6 @@ void redis_parse_rsp(struct msg *r);
 bool redis_failure(struct msg *r);
 void redis_pre_coalesce(struct msg *r);
 void redis_post_coalesce(struct msg *r);
-rstatus_t redis_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn);
 rstatus_t redis_fragment(struct msg *r, uint32_t ncontinuum, struct msg_tqh *frag_msgq);
 rstatus_t redis_reply(struct msg *r);
 void redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server);
diff --git a/src/proto/nc_redis.c b/src/proto/nc_redis.c
index b8ef86b3..f99e4dcc 100644
--- a/src/proto/nc_redis.c
+++ b/src/proto/nc_redis.c
@@ -2837,20 +2837,23 @@ redis_handle_auth_req(struct msg *req, struct msg *rsp)
 }
 
 rstatus_t
-redis_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn)
+redis_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server, int *sended)
 {
     rstatus_t status;
     struct msg *msg;
     struct server_pool *pool;
 
-    ASSERT(!s_conn->client && !s_conn->proxy);
-    ASSERT(!conn_authenticated(s_conn));
+    ASSERT(!conn->client && !conn->proxy && conn->connected && conn->redis);
+    ASSERT(sended);
 
-    pool = c_conn->owner;
+    pool = server->owner;
+    if (!pool->require_auth) {
+        return NC_OK;
+    } 
 
-    msg = msg_get(c_conn, true, c_conn->redis);
+    msg = msg_get(conn, true, conn->redis);
     if (msg == NULL) {
-        c_conn->err = errno;
+        conn->err = errno;
         return NC_ENOMEM;
     }
 
@@ -2861,23 +2864,33 @@ redis_add_auth(struct context *ctx, struct conn *c_conn, struct conn *s_conn)
         return status;
     }
 
+    msg->type = MSG_REQ_REDIS_AUTH;
+    msg->result = MSG_PARSE_OK;
     msg->swallow = 1;
-    s_conn->enqueue_inq(ctx, s_conn, msg);
-    s_conn->authenticated = 1;
+    msg->owner = NULL;
+
+    conn->authenticated = 1;
+
+    /* enqueue as head and send */
+    req_server_enqueue_imsgq_head(ctx, conn, msg);
+    *sended = 1;
+
+    log_debug(LOG_NOTICE, "sent 'AUTH %s' to %s | %s", pool->redis_auth.data,
+              pool->name.data, server->name.data);
 
     return NC_OK;
 }
 
-void
-redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server)
+rstatus_t
+redis_select_db(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server, int *sended)
 {
     rstatus_t status;
     struct server_pool *pool = server->owner;
     struct msg *msg;
     int digits;
 
-    ASSERT(!conn->client && conn->connected);
-    ASSERT(conn->redis);
+    ASSERT(!conn->client && conn->connected && conn->redis);
+    ASSERT(sended);
 
     /*
      * By default, every connection to redis uses the database DB 0. You
@@ -2886,7 +2899,7 @@ redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server
      * on a per pool basis in the configuration
      */
     if (pool->redis_db <= 0) {
-        return;
+        return NC_OK;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -2896,14 +2909,15 @@ redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server
      */
     msg = msg_get(conn, true, conn->redis);
     if (msg == NULL) {
-        return;
+        conn->err = errno;
+        return NC_ENOMEM;
     }
 
     digits = (pool->redis_db >= 10) ? (int)log10(pool->redis_db) + 1 : 1;
     status = msg_prepend_format(msg, "*2\r\n$6\r\nSELECT\r\n$%d\r\n%d\r\n", digits, pool->redis_db);
     if (status != NC_OK) {
         msg_put(msg);
-        return;
+        return status;
     }
     msg->type = MSG_REQ_REDIS_SELECT;
     msg->result = MSG_PARSE_OK;
@@ -2912,10 +2926,23 @@ redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server
 
     /* enqueue as head and send */
     req_server_enqueue_imsgq_head(ctx, conn, msg);
-    msg_send(ctx, conn);
+    *sended = 1;
 
     log_debug(LOG_NOTICE, "sent 'SELECT %d' to %s | %s", pool->redis_db,
               pool->name.data, server->name.data);
+
+    return NC_OK;
+}
+
+void
+redis_post_connect(struct context *ctx, struct conn *conn, struct server *server)
+{
+    int sended = 0;
+    redis_select_db(ctx, conn, server, &sended);
+    redis_add_auth(ctx, conn, server, &sended);
+    if (sended) {
+        msg_send(ctx, conn);
+    }
 }
 
 void