diff --git a/vault/core.go b/vault/core.go
index 349a05ac3..6d63ea13a 100644
--- a/vault/core.go
+++ b/vault/core.go
@@ -445,6 +445,13 @@ func (c *Core) handleLoginRequest(req *logical.Request) (*logical.Response, erro
 	// Route the request
 	resp, err := c.router.Route(req)
 
+	// A login request should never return a secret!
+	if resp != nil && resp.Secret != nil {
+		c.logger.Printf("[ERR] core: unexpected Secret response for login path"+
+			"(request: %#v, response: %#v)", req, resp)
+		return nil, ErrInternalError
+	}
+
 	// If the response generated an authentication, then generate the token
 	var auth *logical.Auth
 	if resp != nil && resp.Auth != nil {
diff --git a/vault/core_test.go b/vault/core_test.go
index ebedbca69..1347b6615 100644
--- a/vault/core_test.go
+++ b/vault/core_test.go
@@ -891,13 +891,10 @@ func TestCore_HandleLogin_AuditTrail(t *testing.T) {
 	noopBack := &NoopBackend{
 		Login: []string{"login"},
 		Response: &logical.Response{
-			Secret: &logical.Secret{
+			Auth: &logical.Auth{
 				LeaseOptions: logical.LeaseOptions{
 					Lease: time.Hour,
 				},
-			},
-
-			Auth: &logical.Auth{
 				Policies: []string{"foo", "bar"},
 				Metadata: map[string]string{
 					"user": "armon",