diff --git a/mod_authnz_external/mod_authnz_external.c b/mod_authnz_external/mod_authnz_external.c
index 7736837..94ab76c 100644
--- a/mod_authnz_external/mod_authnz_external.c
+++ b/mod_authnz_external/mod_authnz_external.c
@@ -673,6 +673,9 @@ static authz_status externalgroup_check_authorization(request_rec *r,
 		"User not in Required group. Last result code: %i",
 		r->user, r->uri, code);
 
+        // Revisit whether there was an authenticated user so that we can flag Apache appropriately
+        if (r->user == "") return AUTHZ_DENIED_NO_USER;
+
 	return AUTHZ_DENIED;
 }