diff --git a/jupyterhub/app.py b/jupyterhub/app.py
index 1aec9972..85635291 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/app.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/app.py
@@ -711,6 +711,7 @@ class JupyterHub(Application):
             self.log.debug("Loading state for %s from db", user.name)
             user.spawner = spawner = self.spawner_class(
                 user=user, hub=self.hub, config=self.config, db=self.db,
+                authenticator=self.authenticator,
             )
             status = yield spawner.poll()
             if status is None:
diff --git a/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py b/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
index cf736be0..f6914ed8 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ class BaseHandler(RequestHandler):
             base_url=self.base_url,
             hub=self.hub,
             config=self.config,
+            authenticator=self.authenticator,
         )
         @gen.coroutine
         def finish_user_spawn(f=None):
diff --git a/jupyterhub/orm.py b/jupyterhub/orm.py
index 5c6158a5..5a5a848b 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/orm.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ class User(Base):
         return db.query(cls).filter(cls.name==name).first()
     
     @gen.coroutine
-    def spawn(self, spawner_class, base_url='/', hub=None, config=None):
+    def spawn(self, spawner_class, base_url='/', hub=None, authenticator=None, config=None):
         """Start the user's spawner"""
         db = inspect(self).session
         if hub is None:
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ class User(Base):
             user=self,
             hub=hub,
             db=db,
+            authenticator=authenticator,
         )
         # we are starting a new server, make sure it doesn't restore state
         spawner.clear_state()
diff --git a/jupyterhub/spawner.py b/jupyterhub/spawner.py
index b6e25cd6..137e6f78 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/spawner.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/spawner.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class Spawner(LoggingConfigurable):
     db = Any()
     user = Any()
     hub = Any()
+    authenticator = Any()
     api_token = Unicode()
     ip = Unicode('localhost', config=True,
         help="The IP address (or hostname) the single-user server should listen on"