diff --git a/scripts/serve.ts b/scripts/serve.ts
index bf5506b8bd..09e517c3d4 100644
--- a/scripts/serve.ts
+++ b/scripts/serve.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ const appConfig: AppConfig = buildAppConfig();
 
 /**
  * Calls `ng serve` with the following arguments configured for the UI in the app config: host, port, nameSpace, ssl
+ * Any CLI arguments given to this script are patched through to `ng serve` as well.
  */
 child.spawn(
-  `ng serve --host ${appConfig.ui.host} --port ${appConfig.ui.port} --serve-path ${appConfig.ui.nameSpace} --ssl ${appConfig.ui.ssl}`,
+  `ng serve --host ${appConfig.ui.host} --port ${appConfig.ui.port} --serve-path ${appConfig.ui.nameSpace} --ssl ${appConfig.ui.ssl} ${process.argv.slice(2).join(' ')}`,
   { stdio: 'inherit', shell: true }
 );
diff --git a/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.html b/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.html
index 84402c64e9..ef220b834b 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.html
+++ b/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<nav @slideHorizontal class="navbar navbar-dark p-0"
+<nav class="navbar navbar-dark p-0"
      [ngClass]="{'active': sidebarOpen, 'inactive': sidebarClosed}"
      [@slideSidebar]="{
       value: (!(sidebarExpanded | async) ? 'collapsed' : 'expanded'),
diff --git a/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.ts b/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.ts
index 6029387bfc..8eb288daa2 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/admin/admin-sidebar/admin-sidebar.component.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Component, HostListener, Injector, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { BehaviorSubject, combineLatest, Observable } from 'rxjs';
 import { debounceTime, distinctUntilChanged, first, map, withLatestFrom } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { AuthService } from '../../core/auth/auth.service';
-import { slideHorizontal, slideSidebar } from '../../shared/animations/slide';
+import { slideSidebar } from '../../shared/animations/slide';
 import { MenuComponent } from '../../shared/menu/menu.component';
 import { MenuService } from '../../shared/menu/menu.service';
 import { CSSVariableService } from '../../shared/sass-helper/sass-helper.service';
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { ThemeService } from '../../shared/theme-support/theme.service';
   selector: 'ds-admin-sidebar',
   templateUrl: './admin-sidebar.component.html',
   styleUrls: ['./admin-sidebar.component.scss'],
-  animations: [slideHorizontal, slideSidebar]
+  animations: [slideSidebar]
 })
 export class AdminSidebarComponent extends MenuComponent implements OnInit {
   /**
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.spec.ts
index 707daf9e30..2afeb26b02 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.spec.ts
@@ -7,57 +7,156 @@ import { TestScheduler } from 'rxjs/testing';
 import { createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject } from '../../shared/remote-data.utils';
 import { ShortLivedToken } from './models/short-lived-token.model';
 import { RemoteData } from '../data/remote-data';
+import { HttpOptions } from '../dspace-rest/dspace-rest.service';
+import objectContaining = jasmine.objectContaining;
+import { AuthStatus } from './models/auth-status.model';
+import { RestRequestMethod } from '../data/rest-request-method';
 
 describe(`AuthRequestService`, () => {
   let halService: HALEndpointService;
   let endpointURL: string;
+  let requestID: string;
   let shortLivedToken: ShortLivedToken;
   let shortLivedTokenRD: RemoteData<ShortLivedToken>;
   let requestService: RequestService;
   let rdbService: RemoteDataBuildService;
-  let service: AuthRequestService;
+  let service;
   let testScheduler;
 
-    class TestAuthRequestService extends AuthRequestService {
-      constructor(
-        hes: HALEndpointService,
-        rs: RequestService,
-        rdbs: RemoteDataBuildService
-      ) {
-        super(hes, rs, rdbs);
-      }
+  const status = new AuthStatus();
 
-      protected createShortLivedTokenRequest(href: string): PostRequest {
-        return new PostRequest(this.requestService.generateRequestId(), href);
-      }
+  class TestAuthRequestService extends AuthRequestService {
+    constructor(
+      hes: HALEndpointService,
+      rs: RequestService,
+      rdbs: RemoteDataBuildService
+    ) {
+      super(hes, rs, rdbs);
     }
 
-    const init = (cold: typeof TestScheduler.prototype.createColdObservable) => {
-      endpointURL = 'https://rest.api/auth';
-      shortLivedToken = Object.assign(new ShortLivedToken(), {
-        value: 'some-token'
-      });
-      shortLivedTokenRD = createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject(shortLivedToken);
+    protected createShortLivedTokenRequest(href: string): PostRequest {
+      return new PostRequest(this.requestService.generateRequestId(), href);
+    }
+  }
 
-      halService = jasmine.createSpyObj('halService', {
-        'getEndpoint': cold('a', { a: endpointURL })
-      });
-      requestService = jasmine.createSpyObj('requestService', {
-        'send': null
-      });
-      rdbService = jasmine.createSpyObj('rdbService', {
-        'buildFromRequestUUID': cold('a', { a: shortLivedTokenRD })
-      });
+  const init = (cold: typeof TestScheduler.prototype.createColdObservable) => {
+    endpointURL = 'https://rest.api/auth';
+    requestID = 'requestID';
+    shortLivedToken = Object.assign(new ShortLivedToken(), {
+      value: 'some-token'
+    });
+    shortLivedTokenRD = createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject(shortLivedToken);
 
-      service = new TestAuthRequestService(halService, requestService, rdbService);
-    };
+    halService = jasmine.createSpyObj('halService', {
+      'getEndpoint': cold('a', { a: endpointURL })
+    });
+    requestService = jasmine.createSpyObj('requestService', {
+      'generateRequestId': requestID,
+      'send': null,
+    });
+    rdbService = jasmine.createSpyObj('rdbService', {
+      'buildFromRequestUUID': cold('a', { a: shortLivedTokenRD })
+    });
+
+    service = new TestAuthRequestService(halService, requestService, rdbService);
+
+    spyOn(service as any, 'fetchRequest').and.returnValue(cold('a', { a: createSuccessfulRemoteDataObject(status) }));
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    testScheduler = new TestScheduler((actual, expected) => {
+      expect(actual).toEqual(expected);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('REST request methods', () => {
+    let options: HttpOptions;
 
     beforeEach(() => {
-      testScheduler = new TestScheduler((actual, expected) => {
-        expect(actual).toEqual(expected);
+      options = Object.create({});
+    });
+
+    describe('GET', () => {
+      it('should send a GET request to the right endpoint and return the auth status', () => {
+        testScheduler.run(({ cold, expectObservable, flush }) => {
+          init(cold);
+
+          expectObservable(service.getRequest('method', options)).toBe('a', {
+            a: objectContaining({ payload: status }),
+          });
+          flush();
+
+          expect(requestService.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(objectContaining({
+            uuid: requestID,
+            href: endpointURL + '/method',
+            method: RestRequestMethod.GET,
+            body: undefined,
+            options,
+          }));
+          expect((service as any).fetchRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(requestID);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should send the request even if caller doesn\'t subscribe to the response', () => {
+        testScheduler.run(({ cold, flush }) => {
+          init(cold);
+
+          service.getRequest('method', options);
+          flush();
+
+          expect(requestService.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(objectContaining({
+            uuid: requestID,
+            href: endpointURL + '/method',
+            method: RestRequestMethod.GET,
+            body: undefined,
+            options,
+          }));
+          expect((service as any).fetchRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(requestID);
+        });
       });
     });
 
+    describe('POST', () => {
+      it('should send a POST request to the right endpoint and return the auth status', () => {
+        testScheduler.run(({ cold, expectObservable, flush }) => {
+          init(cold);
+
+          expectObservable(service.postToEndpoint('method', { content: 'something' }, options)).toBe('a', {
+            a: objectContaining({ payload: status }),
+          });
+          flush();
+
+          expect(requestService.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(objectContaining({
+            uuid: requestID,
+            href: endpointURL + '/method',
+            method: RestRequestMethod.POST,
+            body: { content: 'something' },
+            options,
+          }));
+          expect((service as any).fetchRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(requestID);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should send the request even if caller doesn\'t subscribe to the response', () => {
+        testScheduler.run(({ cold, flush }) => {
+          init(cold);
+
+          service.postToEndpoint('method', { content: 'something' }, options);
+          flush();
+
+          expect(requestService.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(objectContaining({
+            uuid: requestID,
+            href: endpointURL + '/method',
+            method: RestRequestMethod.POST,
+            body: { content: 'something' },
+            options,
+          }));
+          expect((service as any).fetchRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(requestID);
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   describe(`getShortlivedToken`, () => {
     it(`should call createShortLivedTokenRequest with the url for the endpoint`, () => {
       testScheduler.run(({ cold, expectObservable, flush }) => {
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.ts
index 4db4cba612..7fd93fb014 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth-request.service.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
-import { distinctUntilChanged, filter, map, mergeMap, switchMap, tap } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { distinctUntilChanged, filter, map, switchMap, tap, take } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { HALEndpointService } from '../shared/hal-endpoint.service';
 import { RequestService } from '../data/request.service';
 import { isNotEmpty } from '../../shared/empty.util';
@@ -27,8 +27,13 @@ export abstract class AuthRequestService {
               ) {
   }
 
-  protected fetchRequest(request: RestRequest, ...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<AuthStatus>[]): Observable<RemoteData<AuthStatus>> {
-    return this.rdbService.buildFromRequestUUID<AuthStatus>(request.uuid, ...linksToFollow).pipe(
+  /**
+   * Fetch the response to a request from the cache, once it's completed.
+   * @param requestId the UUID of the request for which to retrieve the response
+   * @protected
+   */
+  protected fetchRequest(requestId: string, ...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<AuthStatus>[]): Observable<RemoteData<AuthStatus>> {
+    return this.rdbService.buildFromRequestUUID<AuthStatus>(requestId, ...linksToFollow).pipe(
       getFirstCompletedRemoteData(),
     );
   }
@@ -44,28 +49,48 @@ export abstract class AuthRequestService {
     return url;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Send a POST request to an authentication endpoint
+   * @param method    the method to send to (e.g. 'status')
+   * @param body      the data to send (optional)
+   * @param options   the HTTP options for the request
+   */
   public postToEndpoint(method: string, body?: any, options?: HttpOptions): Observable<RemoteData<AuthStatus>> {
-    return this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkName).pipe(
+    const requestId = this.requestService.generateRequestId();
+
+    this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkName).pipe(
       filter((href: string) => isNotEmpty(href)),
       map((endpointURL) => this.getEndpointByMethod(endpointURL, method)),
       distinctUntilChanged(),
-      map((endpointURL: string) => new PostRequest(this.requestService.generateRequestId(), endpointURL, body, options)),
-      tap((request: PostRequest) => this.requestService.send(request)),
-      mergeMap((request: PostRequest) => this.fetchRequest(request)),
-      distinctUntilChanged());
+      map((endpointURL: string) => new PostRequest(requestId, endpointURL, body, options)),
+      take(1)
+    ).subscribe((request: PostRequest) => {
+      this.requestService.send(request);
+    });
+
+    return this.fetchRequest(requestId);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Send a GET request to an authentication endpoint
+   * @param method    the method to send to (e.g. 'status')
+   * @param options   the HTTP options for the request
+   */
   public getRequest(method: string, options?: HttpOptions, ...linksToFollow: FollowLinkConfig<any>[]): Observable<RemoteData<AuthStatus>> {
-    return this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkName).pipe(
+    const requestId = this.requestService.generateRequestId();
+
+    this.halService.getEndpoint(this.linkName).pipe(
       filter((href: string) => isNotEmpty(href)),
       map((endpointURL) => this.getEndpointByMethod(endpointURL, method, ...linksToFollow)),
       distinctUntilChanged(),
-      map((endpointURL: string) => new GetRequest(this.requestService.generateRequestId(), endpointURL, undefined, options)),
-      tap((request: GetRequest) => this.requestService.send(request)),
-      mergeMap((request: GetRequest) => this.fetchRequest(request, ...linksToFollow)),
-      distinctUntilChanged());
-  }
+      map((endpointURL: string) => new GetRequest(requestId, endpointURL, undefined, options)),
+      take(1)
+    ).subscribe((request: GetRequest) => {
+      this.requestService.send(request);
+    });
 
+    return this.fetchRequest(requestId, ...linksToFollow);
+  }
   /**
    * Factory function to create the request object to send. This needs to be a POST client side and
    * a GET server side. Due to CSRF validation, the server isn't allowed to send a POST, so we allow
diff --git a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
index 6f47a3c20c..acdb8ef812 100644
--- a/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/auth/auth.reducer.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
 import { AuthTokenInfo } from './models/auth-token-info.model';
 import { AuthMethod } from './models/auth.method';
 import { AuthMethodType } from './models/auth.method-type';
+import { StoreActionTypes } from '../../store.actions';
 
 /**
  * The auth state.
@@ -251,6 +252,11 @@ export function authReducer(state: any = initialState, action: AuthActions): Aut
         idle: false,
       });
 
+    case StoreActionTypes.REHYDRATE:
+      return Object.assign({}, state, {
+        blocking: true,
+      });
+
     default:
       return state;
   }
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
index 30259b7dbe..d1c49c8d4b 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ import { RESOURCE_POLICY } from '../resource-policy/models/resource-policy.resou
 import { COMMUNITY } from './community.resource-type';
 import { Community } from './community.model';
 import { ChildHALResource } from './child-hal-resource.model';
+import { HandleObject } from './handle-object.model';
 
 @typedObject
 @inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
-export class Collection extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource {
+export class Collection extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource, HandleObject {
   static type = COLLECTION;
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
index afe2c6dfef..f16aad9645 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import { COMMUNITY } from './community.resource-type';
 import { DSpaceObject } from './dspace-object.model';
 import { HALLink } from './hal-link.model';
 import { ChildHALResource } from './child-hal-resource.model';
+import { HandleObject } from './handle-object.model';
 
 @typedObject
 @inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
-export class Community extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource {
+export class Community extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource, HandleObject {
   static type = COMMUNITY;
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/handle-object.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/handle-object.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..04a1f5e663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/handle-object.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/**
+ * Interface representing an object in DSpace that contains a handle
+ */
+export interface HandleObject {
+
+  handle: string;
+
+}
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts
index 49ca7750b4..28f0d7fd36 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ import { BITSTREAM } from './bitstream.resource-type';
 import { Bitstream } from './bitstream.model';
 import { ACCESS_STATUS } from 'src/app/shared/object-list/access-status-badge/access-status.resource-type';
 import { AccessStatusObject } from 'src/app/shared/object-list/access-status-badge/access-status.model';
+import { HandleObject } from './handle-object.model';
 
 /**
  * Class representing a DSpace Item
  */
 @typedObject
 @inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
-export class Item extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource {
+export class Item extends DSpaceObject implements ChildHALResource, HandleObject {
   static type = ITEM;
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/app/init.service.spec.ts b/src/app/init.service.spec.ts
index 2c9edfd4e0..592abdfd42 100644
--- a/src/app/init.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/init.service.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { inject, TestBed, waitForAsync } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { MetadataService } from './core/metadata/metadata.service';
 import { BreadcrumbsService } from './breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs.service';
 import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
-import { StoreModule } from '@ngrx/store';
+import { Store, StoreModule } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { authReducer } from './core/auth/auth.reducer';
 import { storeModuleConfig } from './app.reducer';
 import { AngularticsProviderMock } from './shared/mocks/angulartics-provider.service.mock';
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { getMockThemeService } from './shared/mocks/theme-service.mock';
 import objectContaining = jasmine.objectContaining;
 import createSpyObj = jasmine.createSpyObj;
 import SpyObj = jasmine.SpyObj;
+import { getTestScheduler } from 'jasmine-marbles';
 
 let spy: SpyObj<any>;
 
@@ -124,6 +125,15 @@ describe('InitService', () => {
     let metadataServiceSpy;
     let breadcrumbsServiceSpy;
 
+    const BLOCKING = {
+      t: {  core: { auth: { blocking: true } } },
+      f: {  core: { auth: { blocking: false } } },
+    };
+    const BOOLEAN = {
+      t: true,
+      f: false,
+    };
+
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
       correlationIdServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('correlationIdServiceSpy', [
         'initCorrelationId',
@@ -182,6 +192,18 @@ describe('InitService', () => {
         expect(breadcrumbsServiceSpy.listenForRouteChanges).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       }));
     });
+
+    describe('authenticationReady', () => {
+      it('should emit & complete the first time auth is unblocked', () => {
+        getTestScheduler().run(({ cold, expectObservable }) => {
+          TestBed.overrideProvider(Store, { useValue: cold('t--t--f--t--f--', BLOCKING) });
+          const service = TestBed.inject(InitService);
+
+          // @ts-ignore
+          expectObservable(service.authenticationReady$()).toBe('------(f|)', BOOLEAN);
+        });
+      });
+    });
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/app/init.service.ts b/src/app/init.service.ts
index d91f6b2dd9..69ed2ad555 100644
--- a/src/app/init.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/init.service.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  *
  * http://www.dspace.org/license/
  */
-import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
+import { select, Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { CheckAuthenticationTokenAction } from './core/auth/auth.actions';
 import { CorrelationIdService } from './correlation-id/correlation-id.service';
 import { APP_INITIALIZER, Inject, Provider, Type } from '@angular/core';
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ import { Angulartics2DSpace } from './statistics/angulartics/dspace-provider';
 import { MetadataService } from './core/metadata/metadata.service';
 import { BreadcrumbsService } from './breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs.service';
 import { ThemeService } from './shared/theme-support/theme.service';
+import { isAuthenticationBlocking } from './core/auth/selectors';
+import { distinctUntilChanged, find } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
 
 /**
  * Performs the initialization of the app.
@@ -186,4 +189,16 @@ export abstract class InitService {
     this.breadcrumbsService.listenForRouteChanges();
     this.themeService.listenForRouteChanges();
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Emits once authentication is ready (no longer blocking)
+   * @protected
+   */
+  protected authenticationReady$(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return this.store.pipe(
+      select(isAuthenticationBlocking),
+      distinctUntilChanged(),
+      find((b: boolean) => b === false)
+    );
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/root/root.component.ts b/src/app/root/root.component.ts
index aae991dca3..3dc555919c 100644
--- a/src/app/root/root.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/root/root.component.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { map, startWith } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { Component, Inject, Input, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { Router } from '@angular/router';
 
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ export class RootComponent implements OnInit {
     const sidebarCollapsed = this.menuService.isMenuCollapsed(MenuID.ADMIN);
     this.slideSidebarOver = combineLatestObservable([sidebarCollapsed, this.windowService.isXsOrSm()])
       .pipe(
-        map(([collapsed, mobile]) => collapsed || mobile)
+        map(([collapsed, mobile]) => collapsed || mobile),
+        startWith(true),
       );
 
     if (this.router.url === getPageInternalServerErrorRoute()) {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/animations/slide.ts b/src/app/shared/animations/slide.ts
index 814dc22e86..b396333fb4 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/animations/slide.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/animations/slide.ts
@@ -10,13 +10,6 @@ export const slide = trigger('slide', [
   transition('expanded <=> collapsed', animate(250))
 ]);
 
-export const slideHorizontal = trigger('slideHorizontal', [
-  state('void', style({ width: 0 })),
-  state('*', style({ width: '*' })),
-  transition(':enter', [animate('200ms')]),
-  transition(':leave', [animate('200ms')])
-]);
-
 export const slideMobileNav = trigger('slideMobileNav', [
 
   state('expanded', style({ height: '100vh' })),
diff --git a/src/app/shared/theme-support/theme.service.ts b/src/app/shared/theme-support/theme.service.ts
index 6d9bffc44e..c0b04cd6b3 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/theme-support/theme.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/theme-support/theme.service.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { Inject, Injectable } from '@angular/core';
-import { createFeatureSelector, createSelector, select, Store } from '@ngrx/store';
+import { Injectable, Inject, Injector } from '@angular/core';
+import { Store, createFeatureSelector, createSelector, select } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { BehaviorSubject, EMPTY, Observable, of as observableOf } from 'rxjs';
 import { ThemeState } from './theme.reducer';
 import { SetThemeAction, ThemeActionTypes } from './theme.actions';
@@ -53,12 +53,13 @@ export class ThemeService {
     private store: Store<ThemeState>,
     private linkService: LinkService,
     private dSpaceObjectDataService: DSpaceObjectDataService,
+    protected injector: Injector,
     @Inject(GET_THEME_CONFIG_FOR_FACTORY) private gtcf: (str) => ThemeConfig,
     private router: Router,
     @Inject(DOCUMENT) private document: any,
   ) {
     // Create objects from the theme configs in the environment file
-    this.themes = environment.themes.map((themeConfig: ThemeConfig) => themeFactory(themeConfig));
+    this.themes = environment.themes.map((themeConfig: ThemeConfig) => themeFactory(themeConfig, injector));
     this.hasDynamicTheme = environment.themes.some((themeConfig: any) =>
       hasValue(themeConfig.regex) ||
       hasValue(themeConfig.handle) ||
diff --git a/src/config/theme.model.spec.ts b/src/config/theme.model.spec.ts
index 16c76539d6..79b5a1f32b 100644
--- a/src/config/theme.model.spec.ts
+++ b/src/config/theme.model.spec.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { Collection } from '../app/core/shared/collection.model';
 import { Item } from '../app/core/shared/item.model';
 import { ITEM } from '../app/core/shared/item.resource-type';
 import { getItemModuleRoute } from '../app/item-page/item-page-routing-paths';
+import { HandleService } from '../app/shared/handle.service';
 
 describe('Theme Models', () => {
   let theme: Theme;
@@ -67,24 +68,40 @@ describe('Theme Models', () => {
   });
 
   describe('HandleTheme', () => {
+    let handleService;
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      handleService = new HandleService();
+      });
     it('should return true when the DSO\'s handle matches the theme\'s handle', () => {
       theme = new HandleTheme({
         name: 'matching-handle',
         handle: '1234/5678',
-      });
-      const dso = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+      }, handleService);
+      const matchingDso = Object.assign(new Item(), {
         type: ITEM.value,
         uuid: 'item-uuid',
         handle: '1234/5678',
+      }, handleService);
+      expect(theme.matches('', matchingDso)).toEqual(true);
+    });
+    it('should return false when the DSO\'s handle contains the theme\'s handle as a subpart', () => {
+      theme = new HandleTheme({
+        name: 'matching-handle',
+        handle: '1234/5678',
+      }, handleService);
+      const dso = Object.assign(new Item(), {
+        type: ITEM.value,
+        uuid: 'item-uuid',
+        handle: '1234/567891011',
       });
-      expect(theme.matches('', dso)).toEqual(true);
+      expect(theme.matches('', dso)).toEqual(false);
     });
 
     it('should return false when the handles don\'t match', () => {
       theme = new HandleTheme({
         name: 'no-matching-handle',
         handle: '1234/5678',
-      });
+      }, handleService);
       const dso = Object.assign(new Item(), {
         type: ITEM.value,
         uuid: 'item-uuid',
diff --git a/src/config/theme.model.ts b/src/config/theme.model.ts
index b7654b1fd7..019540f18a 100644
--- a/src/config/theme.model.ts
+++ b/src/config/theme.model.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { Config } from './config.interface';
 import { hasValue, hasNoValue, isNotEmpty } from '../app/shared/empty.util';
 import { DSpaceObject } from '../app/core/shared/dspace-object.model';
 import { getDSORoute } from '../app/app-routing-paths';
+import { HandleObject } from '../app/core/shared/handle-object.model';
+import { Injector } from '@angular/core';
+import { HandleService } from '../app/shared/handle.service';
 
 export interface NamedThemeConfig extends Config {
   name: string;
@@ -82,12 +85,20 @@ export class RegExTheme extends Theme {
 }
 
 export class HandleTheme extends Theme {
-  constructor(public config: HandleThemeConfig) {
+
+  private normalizedHandle;
+
+  constructor(public config: HandleThemeConfig,
+              protected handleService: HandleService
+              ) {
     super(config);
+    this.normalizedHandle = this.handleService.normalizeHandle(this.config.handle);
+
   }
 
-  matches(url: string, dso: any): boolean {
-    return hasValue(dso) && hasValue(dso.handle) && dso.handle.includes(this.config.handle);
+  matches<T extends DSpaceObject & HandleObject>(url: string, dso: T): boolean {
+    return hasValue(dso) && hasValue(dso.handle)
+      && this.handleService.normalizeHandle(dso.handle) === this.normalizedHandle;
   }
 }
 
@@ -101,11 +112,11 @@ export class UUIDTheme extends Theme {
   }
 }
 
-export const themeFactory = (config: ThemeConfig): Theme => {
+export const themeFactory = (config: ThemeConfig, injector: Injector): Theme => {
   if (hasValue((config as RegExThemeConfig).regex)) {
     return new RegExTheme(config as RegExThemeConfig);
   } else if (hasValue((config as HandleThemeConfig).handle)) {
-    return new HandleTheme(config as HandleThemeConfig);
+    return new HandleTheme(config as HandleThemeConfig, injector.get(HandleService));
   } else if (hasValue((config as UUIDThemeConfig).uuid)) {
     return new UUIDTheme(config as UUIDThemeConfig);
   } else {
diff --git a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.spec.ts b/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 05da7d9d36..0000000000
--- a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,155 +0,0 @@
-import { InitService } from '../../app/init.service';
-import { APP_CONFIG } from 'src/config/app-config.interface';
-import { inject, TestBed, waitForAsync } from '@angular/core/testing';
-import { GoogleAnalyticsService } from '../../app/statistics/google-analytics.service';
-import { MetadataService } from '../../app/core/metadata/metadata.service';
-import { BreadcrumbsService } from '../../app/breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs.service';
-import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
-import { Store, StoreModule } from '@ngrx/store';
-import { authReducer } from '../../app/core/auth/auth.reducer';
-import { storeModuleConfig } from '../../app/app.reducer';
-import { AngularticsProviderMock } from '../../app/shared/mocks/angulartics-provider.service.mock';
-import { Angulartics2DSpace } from '../../app/statistics/angulartics/dspace-provider';
-import { AuthService } from '../../app/core/auth/auth.service';
-import { AuthServiceMock } from '../../app/shared/mocks/auth.service.mock';
-import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
-import { RouterMock } from '../../app/shared/mocks/router.mock';
-import { MockActivatedRoute } from '../../app/shared/mocks/active-router.mock';
-import { MenuService } from '../../app/shared/menu/menu.service';
-import { LocaleService } from '../../app/core/locale/locale.service';
-import { environment } from '../../environments/environment';
-import { provideMockStore } from '@ngrx/store/testing';
-import { AppComponent } from '../../app/app.component';
-import { RouteService } from '../../app/core/services/route.service';
-import { getMockLocaleService } from '../../app/app.component.spec';
-import { MenuServiceStub } from '../../app/shared/testing/menu-service.stub';
-import { CorrelationIdService } from '../../app/correlation-id/correlation-id.service';
-import { KlaroService } from '../../app/shared/cookies/klaro.service';
-import { TranslateLoader, TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
-import { TranslateLoaderMock } from '../../app/shared/mocks/translate-loader.mock';
-import { getTestScheduler } from 'jasmine-marbles';
-import { ThemeService } from '../../app/shared/theme-support/theme.service';
-import { getMockThemeService } from '../../app/shared/mocks/theme-service.mock';
-import { BrowserInitService } from './browser-init.service';
-import { TransferState } from '@angular/platform-browser';
-
-const initialState = {
-  core: {
-    auth: {
-      loading: false,
-      blocking: true,
-    }
-  }
-};
-
-describe('BrowserInitService', () => {
-  describe('browser-specific initialization steps', () => {
-    let correlationIdServiceSpy;
-    let dspaceTransferStateSpy;
-    let transferStateSpy;
-    let metadataServiceSpy;
-    let breadcrumbsServiceSpy;
-    let klaroServiceSpy;
-    let googleAnalyticsSpy;
-
-    beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
-      correlationIdServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('correlationIdServiceSpy', [
-        'initCorrelationId',
-      ]);
-      dspaceTransferStateSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('dspaceTransferStateSpy', [
-        'transfer',
-      ]);
-      transferStateSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('dspaceTransferStateSpy', [
-        'get', 'hasKey'
-      ]);
-      breadcrumbsServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('breadcrumbsServiceSpy', [
-        'listenForRouteChanges',
-      ]);
-      metadataServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('metadataService', [
-        'listenForRouteChange',
-      ]);
-      klaroServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('klaroServiceSpy', [
-        'initialize',
-      ]);
-      googleAnalyticsSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj('googleAnalyticsService', [
-        'addTrackingIdToPage',
-      ]);
-
-
-      TestBed.resetTestingModule();
-      TestBed.configureTestingModule({
-        imports: [
-          CommonModule,
-          StoreModule.forRoot(authReducer, storeModuleConfig),
-          TranslateModule.forRoot({
-            loader: {
-              provide: TranslateLoader,
-              useClass: TranslateLoaderMock
-            }
-          }),
-        ],
-        providers: [
-          { provide: InitService, useClass: BrowserInitService },
-          { provide: CorrelationIdService, useValue: correlationIdServiceSpy },
-          { provide: APP_CONFIG, useValue: environment },
-          { provide: LocaleService, useValue: getMockLocaleService() },
-          { provide: Angulartics2DSpace, useValue: new AngularticsProviderMock() },
-          { provide: MetadataService, useValue: metadataServiceSpy },
-          { provide: BreadcrumbsService, useValue: breadcrumbsServiceSpy },
-          { provide: AuthService, useValue: new AuthServiceMock() },
-          { provide: Router, useValue: new RouterMock() },
-          { provide: ActivatedRoute, useValue: new MockActivatedRoute() },
-          { provide: MenuService, useValue: new MenuServiceStub() },
-          { provide: KlaroService, useValue: klaroServiceSpy },
-          { provide: GoogleAnalyticsService, useValue: googleAnalyticsSpy },
-          { provide: ThemeService, useValue: getMockThemeService() },
-          provideMockStore({ initialState }),
-          AppComponent,
-          RouteService,
-          { provide: TransferState, useValue: undefined },
-        ]
-      });
-    }));
-
-    describe('initGoogleÀnalytics', () => {
-      it('should call googleAnalyticsService.addTrackingIdToPage()', inject([InitService], (service) => {
-        // @ts-ignore
-        service.initGoogleAnalytics();
-        expect(googleAnalyticsSpy.addTrackingIdToPage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      }));
-    });
-
-    describe('initKlaro', () => {
-      const BLOCKING = {
-        t: {  core: { auth: { blocking: true } } },
-        f: {  core: { auth: { blocking: false } } },
-      };
-
-      it('should not initialize Klaro while auth is blocking', () => {
-        getTestScheduler().run(({ cold, flush}) => {
-          TestBed.overrideProvider(Store, { useValue: cold('t--t--t--', BLOCKING) });
-          const service = TestBed.inject(InitService);
-
-          // @ts-ignore
-          service.initKlaro();
-          flush();
-          expect(klaroServiceSpy.initialize).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-        });
-      });
-
-
-      it('should only initialize Klaro the first time auth is unblocked', () => {
-        getTestScheduler().run(({ cold, flush}) => {
-          TestBed.overrideProvider(Store, { useValue: cold('t--t--f--t--f--', BLOCKING) });
-          const service = TestBed.inject(InitService);
-
-          // @ts-ignore
-          service.initKlaro();
-          flush();
-          expect(klaroServiceSpy.initialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-        });
-      });
-    });
-  });
-});
-
diff --git a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts b/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
index 80619800fb..05c591b0c6 100644
--- a/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/app/browser-init.service.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * http://www.dspace.org/license/
  */
 import { InitService } from '../../app/init.service';
-import { select, Store } from '@ngrx/store';
+import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { AppState } from '../../app/app.reducer';
 import { TransferState } from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import { APP_CONFIG, APP_CONFIG_STATE, AppConfig } from '../../config/app-config.interface';
@@ -26,9 +26,8 @@ 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 { distinctUntilChanged, filter, find, map, take } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { find, map } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { isNotEmpty } from '../../app/shared/empty.util';
-import { isAuthenticationBlocking } from '../../app/core/auth/selectors';
 
 /**
  * Performs client-side initialization.
@@ -90,6 +89,8 @@ export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
 
       this.initKlaro();
 
+      await this.authenticationReady$().toPromise();
+
       return true;
     };
   }
@@ -116,16 +117,11 @@ export class BrowserInitService extends InitService {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Initialize Klaro
+   * Initialize Klaro (once authentication is resolved)
    * @protected
    */
   protected initKlaro() {
-    this.store.pipe(
-      select(isAuthenticationBlocking),
-      distinctUntilChanged(),
-      filter((isBlocking: boolean) => isBlocking === false),
-      take(1)
-    ).subscribe(() => {
+    this.authenticationReady$().subscribe(() => {
       this.klaroService.initialize();
     });
   }
diff --git a/src/modules/app/server-init.service.ts b/src/modules/app/server-init.service.ts
index 803dc7a75a..e93c692cd7 100644
--- a/src/modules/app/server-init.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/app/server-init.service.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ export class ServerInitService extends InitService {
       this.initRouteListeners();
       this.themeService.listenForThemeChanges(false);
 
+      await this.authenticationReady$().toPromise();
+
       return true;
     };
   }