diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.actions.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.actions.ts
index 60440d371e7..6bc4565682a 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.actions.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const AuthActionTypes = {
   AUTHENTICATED_SUCCESS: type('dspace/auth/AUTHENTICATED_SUCCESS'),
   CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN: type('dspace/auth/CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN'),
   CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN_COOKIE: type('dspace/auth/CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN_COOKIE'),
+  SET_AUTH_COOKIE_STATUS: type('dspace/auth/SET_AUTH_COOKIE_STATUS'),
   RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS: type('dspace/auth/RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS'),
   RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS_SUCCESS: type('dspace/auth/RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS_SUCCESS'),
   RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS_ERROR: type('dspace/auth/RETRIEVE_AUTH_METHODS_ERROR'),
@@ -150,6 +151,19 @@ export class CheckAuthenticationTokenCookieAction implements Action {
   public type: string = AuthActionTypes.CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN_COOKIE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Sets the authentication cookie status to flag an external authentication response.
+ */
+export class SetAuthCookieStatus implements Action {
+  public type: string = AuthActionTypes.SET_AUTH_COOKIE_STATUS;
+
+  payload = false;
+
+  constructor(exists: boolean) {
+    this.payload = exists;
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Sign out.
  * @class LogOutAction
@@ -425,6 +439,7 @@ export type AuthActions
   | AuthenticationSuccessAction
   | CheckAuthenticationTokenAction
   | CheckAuthenticationTokenCookieAction
+  | SetAuthCookieStatus
   | RedirectWhenAuthenticationIsRequiredAction
   | RedirectWhenTokenExpiredAction
   | AddAuthenticationMessageAction
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.spec.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.spec.ts
index f09db04d99e..2e6ba917aae 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.spec.ts
@@ -214,12 +214,15 @@ describe('AuthEffects', () => {
               authenticated: true
             })
         );
+        spyOn((authEffects as any).authService, 'setExternalAuthStatus');
         actions = hot('--a-', { a: { type: AuthActionTypes.CHECK_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN_COOKIE } });
 
         const expected = cold('--b-', { b: new RetrieveTokenAction() });
 
         expect(authEffects.checkTokenCookie$).toBeObservable(expected);
         authEffects.checkTokenCookie$.subscribe(() => {
+          expect(authServiceStub.setExternalAuthStatus).toHaveBeenCalled();
+          expect(authServiceStub.isExternalAuthentication).toBeTrue();
           expect((authEffects as any).authorizationsService.invalidateAuthorizationsRequestCache).toHaveBeenCalled();
         });
       });
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.ts
index 22d1bf35e7c..281355b769e 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.effects.ts
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ export class AuthEffects {
       return this.authService.checkAuthenticationCookie().pipe(
         map((response: AuthStatus) => {
           if (response.authenticated) {
+            this.authService.setExternalAuthStatus(true);
             this.authorizationsService.invalidateAuthorizationsRequestCache();
             return new RetrieveTokenAction();
           } else {
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.spec.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.spec.ts
index 8ebc9f6cb03..c0619adf793 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.spec.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   AuthenticationErrorAction,
   AuthenticationSuccessAction,
   CheckAuthenticationTokenAction,
+  SetAuthCookieStatus,
   CheckAuthenticationTokenCookieAction,
   LogOutAction,
   LogOutErrorAction,
@@ -219,6 +220,28 @@ describe('authReducer', () => {
     expect(newState).toEqual(state);
   });
 
+  it('should set the authentication cookie status in response to a SET_AUTH_COOKIE_STATUS action', () => {
+    initialState = {
+      authenticated: true,
+      loaded: false,
+      blocking: false,
+      loading: true,
+      externalAuth: false,
+      idle: false
+    };
+    const action = new SetAuthCookieStatus(true);
+    const newState = authReducer(initialState, action);
+    state = {
+      authenticated: true,
+      loaded: false,
+      blocking: false,
+      loading: true,
+      externalAuth: true,
+      idle: false
+    };
+    expect(newState).toEqual(state);
+  });
+
   it('should properly set the state, in response to a LOG_OUT action', () => {
     initialState = {
       authenticated: true,
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
index acdb8ef812f..ba9c41326a6 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   RedirectWhenTokenExpiredAction,
   RefreshTokenSuccessAction,
   RetrieveAuthenticatedEpersonSuccessAction,
-  RetrieveAuthMethodsSuccessAction,
+  RetrieveAuthMethodsSuccessAction, SetAuthCookieStatus,
   SetRedirectUrlAction
 } from './auth.actions';
 // import models
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ export interface AuthState {
   // all authentication Methods enabled at the backend
   authMethods?: AuthMethod[];
 
+  externalAuth?: boolean,
+
   // true when the current user is idle
   idle: boolean;
 
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ const initialState: AuthState = {
   blocking: true,
   loading: false,
   authMethods: [],
+  externalAuth: false,
   idle: false
 };
 
@@ -104,6 +107,11 @@ export function authReducer(state: any = initialState, action: AuthActions): Aut
         loading: true,
       });
 
+    case AuthActionTypes.SET_AUTH_COOKIE_STATUS:
+      return Object.assign({}, state, {
+        externalAuth: (action as SetAuthCookieStatus).payload
+      });
+
     case AuthActionTypes.AUTHENTICATED_ERROR:
     case AuthActionTypes.RETRIEVE_AUTHENTICATED_EPERSON_ERROR:
       return Object.assign({}, state, {
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.service.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.service.ts
index 3034c00197e..6604936cde1 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.service.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
 import { CookieService } from '../services/cookie.service';
 import {
   getAuthenticatedUserId,
-  getAuthenticationToken,
+  getAuthenticationToken, getExternalAuthCookieStatus,
   getRedirectUrl,
   isAuthenticated,
   isAuthenticatedLoaded,
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import { AppState } from '../../app.reducer';
 import {
   CheckAuthenticationTokenAction,
   RefreshTokenAction,
-  ResetAuthenticationMessagesAction,
+  ResetAuthenticationMessagesAction, SetAuthCookieStatus,
   SetRedirectUrlAction,
   SetUserAsIdleAction,
   UnsetUserAsIdleAction
@@ -156,6 +156,24 @@ export class AuthService {
     return this.store.pipe(select(isAuthenticatedLoaded));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Used to set the external authentication status when authenticating via an
+   * external authentication system (e.g. Shibboleth).
+   * @param external
+   */
+  public setExternalAuthStatus(external: boolean) {
+    this.store.dispatch(new SetAuthCookieStatus(external));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns true if an external authentication system (e.g. Shibboleth) is being used
+   * for authentication. Returns false otherwise.
+   */
+  public isExternalAuthentication(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return this.store.pipe(
+      select(getExternalAuthCookieStatus));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns the href link to authenticated user
    * @returns {string}
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/selectors.ts b/src/app/core/auth/selectors.ts
index ce8d38d6ba5..aba739edf67 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/selectors.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/selectors.ts
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ const _getRedirectUrl = (state: AuthState) => state.redirectUrl;
 
 const _getAuthenticationMethods = (state: AuthState) => state.authMethods;
 
+const _getExternalAuthCookieStatus = (state: AuthState) => state.externalAuth;
+
 /**
  * Returns true if the user is idle.
  * @function _isIdle
@@ -178,6 +180,16 @@ export const isAuthenticated = createSelector(getAuthState, _isAuthenticated);
  */
 export const isAuthenticatedLoaded = createSelector(getAuthState, _isAuthenticatedLoaded);
 
+/**
+ * Returns the authentication cookie status. Expect to be true when external authentication
+ * is used.
+ * @function getExternalAuthCookieStatus
+ * @param {AuthState} state
+ * @param {any} props
+ * @return {boolean}
+ */
+export const getExternalAuthCookieStatus = createSelector(getAuthState, _getExternalAuthCookieStatus);
+
 /**
  * Returns true if the authentication request is loading.
  * @function isAuthenticationLoading
diff --git a/src/app/shared/testing/auth-service.stub.ts b/src/app/shared/testing/auth-service.stub.ts
index b8d822252d7..7f3d040042f 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/testing/auth-service.stub.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/testing/auth-service.stub.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export class AuthServiceStub {
   token: AuthTokenInfo = new AuthTokenInfo('token_test');
   impersonating: string;
   private _tokenExpired = false;
+  private _isExternalAuth = false;
   private redirectUrl;
 
   constructor() {
@@ -122,6 +123,13 @@ export class AuthServiceStub {
   checkAuthenticationCookie() {
     return;
   }
+  setExternalAuthStatus(externalCookie: boolean) {
+    this._isExternalAuth = externalCookie;
+  }
+
+  isExternalAuthentication(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return observableOf(this._isExternalAuth);
+  }
 
   retrieveAuthMethodsFromAuthStatus(status: AuthStatus) {
     return observableOf(authMethodsMock);
diff --git a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts b/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
index 687ecf05472..61d57f10f98 100644
--- a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
@@ -26,16 +26,21 @@ import { AuthService } from '../../app/core/auth/auth.service';
 import { ThemeService } from '../../app/shared/theme-support/theme.service';
 import { StoreAction, StoreActionTypes } from '../../app/store.actions';
 import { coreSelector } from '../../app/core/core.selectors';
-import { find, map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { filter, find, map } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { isNotEmpty } from '../../app/shared/empty.util';
 import { logStartupMessage } from '../../../startup-message';
 import { MenuService } from '../../app/shared/menu/menu.service';
+import { RootDataService } from '../../app/core/data/root-data.service';
+import { firstValueFrom, Subscription } from 'rxjs';
 
 /**
  * Performs client-side initialization.
  */
 @Injectable()
 export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
+
+  sub: Subscription;
+
   constructor(
     protected store: Store<AppState>,
     protected correlationIdService: CorrelationIdService,
@@ -51,6 +56,7 @@ export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
     protected authService: AuthService,
     protected themeService: ThemeService,
     protected menuService: MenuService,
+    private rootDataService: RootDataService
   ) {
     super(
       store,
@@ -80,6 +86,7 @@ export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
     return async () => {
       await this.loadAppState();
       this.checkAuthenticationToken();
+      this.externalAuthCheck();
       this.initCorrelationId();
 
       this.checkEnvironment();
@@ -134,4 +141,35 @@ export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
   protected initGoogleAnalytics() {
     this.googleAnalyticsService.addTrackingIdToPage();
   }
+
+  /**
+   * During an external authentication flow invalidate the SSR transferState
+   * data in the cache. This allows the app to fetch fresh content.
+   * @private
+   */
+  private externalAuthCheck() {
+
+    this.sub = this.authService.isExternalAuthentication().pipe(
+        filter((externalAuth: boolean) => externalAuth)
+      ).subscribe(() => {
+        // Clear the transferState data.
+        this.rootDataService.invalidateRootCache();
+        this.authService.setExternalAuthStatus(false);
+      }
+    );
+
+    this.closeAuthCheckSubscription();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Unsubscribe the external authentication subscription
+   * when authentication is no longer blocking.
+   * @private
+   */
+  private closeAuthCheckSubscription() {
+    firstValueFrom(this.authenticationReady$()).then(() => {
+        this.sub.unsubscribe();
+      });
+  }
+
 }