diff --git a/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.cpp b/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.cpp
index 7df4d183e5..6fa4757dc2 100644
--- a/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,24 @@ void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::enterCredentials( const QString &realm, const
   QgsCredentials::instance()->put( realm, username, password );
 }
 
+bool QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::hasPendingAuthRequest() const
+{
+  if ( mBrowserAuthenticationOngoing )
+  {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  int pendingCount = mRealms.size();
+  for ( const RealmEntry &realm : mRealms )
+  {
+    if ( realm.canceled )
+    {
+      pendingCount--;
+    }
+  }
+  return pendingCount > 0;
+}
+
 QString QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::getFirstUnhandledRealm() const
 {
   auto entry = std::find_if( mRealms.begin(), mRealms.end(), []( const RealmEntry &entry ) { return !entry.canceled; } );
@@ -59,6 +77,7 @@ bool QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleLayerLogins()
           if ( mRealms.at( i ).realm == realm )
           {
             mRealms.replace( i, RealmEntry( realm, true ) );
+            emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
             break;
           }
         }
@@ -71,6 +90,7 @@ bool QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleLayerLogins()
           if ( mRealms.at( i ).realm == realm )
           {
             mRealms.removeAt( i );
+            emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
             break;
           }
         }
@@ -116,6 +136,7 @@ void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::authNeeded( const QString &realm )
 
   RealmEntry unhandledRealm( realm );
   mRealms << unhandledRealm;
+  emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
 }
 
 void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleAuthRequest( QNetworkReply *reply, QAuthenticator *auth )
@@ -176,17 +197,23 @@ void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleAuthRequest( QNetworkReply *reply, QAuth
 
 void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleAuthRequestOpenBrowser( const QUrl &url )
 {
+  mBrowserAuthenticationOngoing = true;
+  emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
   emit showLoginBrowser( url.toString() );
 }
 
 void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::handleAuthRequestCloseBrowser()
 {
   emit hideLoginBrowser();
+  mBrowserAuthenticationOngoing = false;
+  emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
 }
 
 void QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::abortAuthBrowser()
 {
   QgsNetworkAccessManager::instance()->abortAuthBrowser();
+  mBrowserAuthenticationOngoing = false;
+  emit hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
 }
 
 QString QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler::getCredentialTitle( const QString &realm )
diff --git a/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.h b/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.h
index 8cbfc7e397..9ac1b9ee1e 100644
--- a/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.h
+++ b/src/core/qfieldappauthrequesthandler.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ class QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler : public QObject, public QgsCredentials, publi
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 
+    Q_PROPERTY( bool hasPendingAuthRequest READ hasPendingAuthRequest NOTIFY hasPendingAuthRequestChanged )
+
   public:
     QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler();
 
@@ -58,12 +60,16 @@ class QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler : public QObject, public QgsCredentials, publi
     //! abort an ongoing external browser authentication request
     Q_INVOKABLE void abortAuthBrowser();
 
+    //! returns the number of pending authentication requests
+    bool hasPendingAuthRequest() const;
+
   signals:
     void showLoginDialog( const QString &realm, const QString &title );
     void loginDialogClosed( const QString &realm, const bool canceled );
     void reloadEverything();
     void showLoginBrowser( const QString &url );
     void hideLoginBrowser();
+    void hasPendingAuthRequestChanged();
 
   protected:
     bool request( const QString &realm, QString &username, QString &password, const QString &message = QString() ) override;
@@ -95,6 +101,7 @@ class QFieldAppAuthRequestHandler : public QObject, public QgsCredentials, publi
     };
 
     QList<RealmEntry> mRealms;
+    bool mBrowserAuthenticationOngoing = false;
 };
 
 #endif // QFIELDAPPAUTHREQUESTHANDLER_H
diff --git a/src/qml/qgismobileapp.qml b/src/qml/qgismobileapp.qml
index 0f767f825b..5715a17b9c 100644
--- a/src/qml/qgismobileapp.qml
+++ b/src/qml/qgismobileapp.qml
@@ -3342,6 +3342,11 @@ ApplicationWindow {
     }
 
     function onLoadProjectTriggered(path, name) {
+      messageLogModel.suppress({
+          "WFS": [""],
+          "WMS": [""],
+          "PostGIS": ["fe_sendauth: no password supplied"]
+        });
       qfieldLocalDataPickerScreen.visible = false;
       qfieldLocalDataPickerScreen.focus = false;
       welcomeScreen.visible = false;
@@ -3360,6 +3365,17 @@ ApplicationWindow {
     function onLoadProjectEnded(path, name) {
       mapCanvasMap.unfreeze('projectload');
       busyOverlay.state = "hidden";
+      dashBoard.layerTree.unfreeze(true);
+      if (qfieldAuthRequestHandler.hasPendingAuthRequest) {
+        qfieldAuthRequestHandler.handleLayerLogins();
+      } else {
+        // project in need of handling layer credentials
+        messageLogModel.unsuppress({
+            "WFS": [],
+            "WMS": [],
+            "PostGIS": []
+          });
+      }
       projectInfo.filePath = path;
       stateMachine.state = projectInfo.stateMode;
       platformUtilities.setHandleVolumeKeys(qfieldSettings.digitizingVolumeKeys && stateMachine.state != 'browse');
@@ -3370,7 +3386,10 @@ ApplicationWindow {
           activeLayer = defaultActiveLayer;
         }
       }
-      dashBoard.activeLayer = activeLayer;
+      if (!qfieldAuthRequestHandler.hasPendingAuthRequest) {
+        // only set active layer when not handling layer credentials
+        dashBoard.activeLayer = activeLayer;
+      }
       drawingTemplateModel.projectFilePath = path;
       mapCanvasBackground.color = mapCanvas.mapSettings.backgroundColor;
       const titleDecorationConfiguration = projectInfo.getTitleDecorationConfiguration();
@@ -3447,7 +3466,7 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         projectInfo.hasInsertRights = true;
         projectInfo.hasEditRights = true;
       }
-      if (stateMachine.state === "digitize") {
+      if (stateMachine.state === "digitize" && !qfieldAuthRequestHandler.hasPendingAuthRequest) {
         dashBoard.ensureEditableLayerSelected();
       }
       var distanceString = iface.readProjectEntry("Measurement", "/DistanceUnits", "");
@@ -3536,29 +3555,6 @@ ApplicationWindow {
   Item {
     id: layerLogin
 
-    Connections {
-      target: iface
-      function onLoadProjectTriggered(path) {
-        messageLogModel.suppress({
-            "WFS": [""],
-            "WMS": [""],
-            "PostGIS": ["fe_sendauth: no password supplied"]
-          });
-      }
-
-      function onLoadProjectEnded() {
-        dashBoard.layerTree.unfreeze(true);
-        if (!qfieldAuthRequestHandler.handleLayerLogins()) {
-          //project loaded without more layer handling needed
-          messageLogModel.unsuppress({
-              "WFS": [],
-              "WMS": [],
-              "PostGIS": []
-            });
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
     Connections {
       target: qfieldAuthRequestHandler