diff --git a/changelog/16821.txt b/changelog/16821.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c414d8015
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/16821.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+ui: redirect_to param forwards from auth route when authenticated
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/app/lib/route-paths.js b/ui/app/lib/route-paths.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..221a6401c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/app/lib/route-paths.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+export const INIT = 'vault.cluster.init';
+export const UNSEAL = 'vault.cluster.unseal';
+export const AUTH = 'vault.cluster.auth';
+export const REDIRECT = 'vault.cluster.redirect';
+export const CLUSTER = 'vault.cluster';
+export const CLUSTER_INDEX = 'vault.cluster.index';
+export const OIDC_CALLBACK = 'vault.cluster.oidc-callback';
+export const OIDC_PROVIDER = 'vault.cluster.oidc-provider';
+export const NS_OIDC_PROVIDER = 'vault.cluster.oidc-provider-ns';
+export const DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY = 'vault.cluster.replication-dr-promote';
+export const DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY_DETAILS = 'vault.cluster.replication-dr-promote.details';
+export const EXCLUDED_REDIRECT_URLS = ['/vault/logout'];
diff --git a/ui/app/mixins/cluster-route.js b/ui/app/mixins/cluster-route.js
index 87ad33b2b..d3f83318d 100644
--- a/ui/app/mixins/cluster-route.js
+++ b/ui/app/mixins/cluster-route.js
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 import { inject as service } from '@ember/service';
 import Mixin from '@ember/object/mixin';
 import RSVP from 'rsvp';
-const INIT = 'vault.cluster.init';
-const UNSEAL = 'vault.cluster.unseal';
-const AUTH = 'vault.cluster.auth';
-const CLUSTER = 'vault.cluster';
-const CLUSTER_INDEX = 'vault.cluster.index';
-const OIDC_CALLBACK = 'vault.cluster.oidc-callback';
-const OIDC_PROVIDER = 'vault.cluster.oidc-provider';
-const NS_OIDC_PROVIDER = 'vault.cluster.oidc-provider-ns';
-const DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY = 'vault.cluster.replication-dr-promote';
-const DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY_DETAILS = 'vault.cluster.replication-dr-promote.details';
-const EXCLUDED_REDIRECT_URLS = ['/vault/logout'];
-
-export { INIT, UNSEAL, AUTH, CLUSTER, CLUSTER_INDEX, DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY };
+import {
+  INIT,
+  UNSEAL,
+  AUTH,
+  CLUSTER,
+  CLUSTER_INDEX,
+  OIDC_CALLBACK,
+  OIDC_PROVIDER,
+  NS_OIDC_PROVIDER,
+  DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY,
+  DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY_DETAILS,
+  EXCLUDED_REDIRECT_URLS,
+  REDIRECT,
+} from 'vault/lib/route-paths';
 
 export default Mixin.create({
   auth: service(),
@@ -96,11 +97,14 @@ export default Mixin.create({
     if (
       (!cluster.needsInit && this.routeName === INIT) ||
       (!cluster.sealed && this.routeName === UNSEAL) ||
-      (!cluster?.dr?.isSecondary && this.routeName === DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY) ||
-      (isAuthed && this.routeName === AUTH)
+      (!cluster?.dr?.isSecondary && this.routeName === DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY)
     ) {
       return CLUSTER;
     }
+    if (isAuthed && this.routeName === AUTH) {
+      // if you're already authed and you wanna go to auth, you probably want to redirect
+      return REDIRECT;
+    }
     return null;
   },
 });
diff --git a/ui/app/router.js b/ui/app/router.js
index 3cd477670..0640b2b52 100644
--- a/ui/app/router.js
+++ b/ui/app/router.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Router.map(function () {
       this.route('oidc-provider', { path: '/identity/oidc/provider/:provider_name/authorize' });
       this.route('oidc-callback', { path: '/auth/*auth_path/oidc/callback' });
       this.route('auth');
+      this.route('redirect');
       this.route('init');
       this.route('logout');
       this.mount('open-api-explorer', { path: '/api-explorer' });
diff --git a/ui/app/routes/vault/cluster/redirect.js b/ui/app/routes/vault/cluster/redirect.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f58ddfd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/app/routes/vault/cluster/redirect.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import Route from '@ember/routing/route';
+import { inject as service } from '@ember/service';
+import { AUTH, CLUSTER } from 'vault/lib/route-paths';
+
+export default class VaultClusterRedirectRoute extends Route {
+  @service auth;
+  @service router;
+
+  beforeModel({ to: { queryParams } }) {
+    let transition;
+    const isAuthed = this.auth.currentToken;
+    // eslint-disable-next-line ember/no-controller-access-in-routes
+    const controller = this.controllerFor('vault');
+    const { redirect_to, ...otherParams } = queryParams;
+
+    if (isAuthed && redirect_to) {
+      // if authenticated and redirect exists, redirect to that place and strip other params
+      transition = this.router.replaceWith(redirect_to);
+    } else if (isAuthed) {
+      // if authed no redirect, go to cluster
+      transition = this.router.replaceWith(CLUSTER, { queryParams: otherParams });
+    } else {
+      // default go to Auth
+      transition = this.router.replaceWith(AUTH, { queryParams: otherParams });
+    }
+    transition.followRedirects().then(() => {
+      controller.set('redirectTo', '');
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/ui/app/templates/vault/cluster/redirect.hbs b/ui/app/templates/vault/cluster/redirect.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..143f5191c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/app/templates/vault/cluster/redirect.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<LogoSplash />
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/tests/unit/mixins/cluster-route-test.js b/ui/tests/unit/mixins/cluster-route-test.js
index 623d2d8eb..46fb5289f 100644
--- a/ui/tests/unit/mixins/cluster-route-test.js
+++ b/ui/tests/unit/mixins/cluster-route-test.js
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import {
   CLUSTER,
   CLUSTER_INDEX,
   DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY,
-} from 'vault/mixins/cluster-route';
+  REDIRECT,
+} from 'vault/lib/route-paths';
 import { module, test } from 'qunit';
 import sinon from 'sinon';
 
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ module('Unit | Mixin | cluster route', function () {
     assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), CLUSTER, 'forwards when unsealed and navigating to UNSEAL');
 
     subject.routeName = AUTH;
-    assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), CLUSTER, 'forwards when authenticated and navigating to AUTH');
+    assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), REDIRECT, 'forwards when authenticated and navigating to AUTH');
 
     subject.routeName = DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY;
     assert.equal(
@@ -89,6 +90,28 @@ module('Unit | Mixin | cluster route', function () {
     );
   });
 
+  test('#targetRouteName happy path when not authed forwards to AUTH', function (assert) {
+    let subject = createClusterRoute(
+      { needsInit: false, sealed: false, dr: { isSecondary: false } },
+      { hasKeyData: () => false, authToken: () => null }
+    );
+    subject.routeName = INIT;
+    assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), AUTH, 'forwards when inited and navigating to INIT');
+
+    subject.routeName = UNSEAL;
+    assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), AUTH, 'forwards when unsealed and navigating to UNSEAL');
+
+    subject.routeName = AUTH;
+    assert.equal(subject.targetRouteName(), AUTH, 'forwards when non-authenticated and navigating to AUTH');
+
+    subject.routeName = DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY;
+    assert.equal(
+      subject.targetRouteName(),
+      AUTH,
+      'forwards when not a DR secondary and navigating to DR_REPLICATION_SECONDARY'
+    );
+  });
+
   test('#transitionToTargetRoute', function (assert) {
     let redirectRouteURL = '/vault/secrets/secret/create';
     let subject = createClusterRoute({ needsInit: false, sealed: false });
diff --git a/ui/tests/unit/routes/vault/cluster/redirect-test.js b/ui/tests/unit/routes/vault/cluster/redirect-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..256330a6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/tests/unit/routes/vault/cluster/redirect-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { module, test } from 'qunit';
+import { setupTest } from 'ember-qunit';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+
+module('Unit | Route | vault/cluster/redirect', function (hooks) {
+  setupTest(hooks);
+
+  hooks.beforeEach(function () {
+    this.router = this.owner.lookup('service:router');
+    this.originalTransition = this.router.replaceWith;
+    this.router.replaceWith = sinon.stub().returns({
+      followRedirects: function () {
+        return {
+          then: function (callback) {
+            callback();
+          },
+        };
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  hooks.afterEach(function () {
+    this.router.replaceWith = this.originalTransition;
+  });
+
+  test('it calls route', function (assert) {
+    let route = this.owner.lookup('route:vault/cluster/redirect');
+    assert.ok(route);
+  });
+
+  test('it redirects to auth when unauthenticated', function (assert) {
+    let route = this.owner.lookup('route:vault/cluster/redirect');
+    const auth = this.owner.lookup('service:auth');
+    const originalToken = auth.currentToken;
+
+    auth.currentToken = null;
+
+    route.beforeModel({ to: { queryParams: { redirect_to: 'vault/cluster/tools', namespace: 'admin' } } });
+
+    assert.true(
+      this.router.replaceWith.calledWithExactly('vault.cluster.auth', {
+        queryParams: { namespace: 'admin' },
+      }),
+      'transitions to auth when not authenticated'
+    );
+    auth.currentToken = originalToken;
+  });
+
+  test('it redirects to cluster when authenticated without redirect param', function (assert) {
+    let route = this.owner.lookup('route:vault/cluster/redirect');
+    const auth = this.owner.lookup('service:auth');
+    const originalToken = auth.currentToken;
+
+    auth.currentToken = 's.xxxxxxxxx';
+
+    route.beforeModel({ to: { queryParams: { foo: 'bar' } } });
+    assert.true(
+      this.router.replaceWith.calledWithExactly('vault.cluster', { queryParams: { foo: 'bar' } }),
+      'transitions to cluster when authenticated but no redirect param'
+    );
+    auth.currentToken = originalToken;
+  });
+
+  test('it redirects to desired path when authenticated with redirect param', function (assert) {
+    let route = this.owner.lookup('route:vault/cluster/redirect');
+    const auth = this.owner.lookup('service:auth');
+    const originalToken = auth.currentToken;
+
+    auth.currentToken = 's.xxxxxxxxx';
+
+    route.beforeModel({
+      to: {
+        queryParams: { redirect_to: 'vault/cluster/tools?namespace=admin', namespace: 'ns1', foo: 'bar' },
+      },
+    });
+
+    assert.true(
+      this.router.replaceWith.calledWithExactly('vault/cluster/tools?namespace=admin'),
+      'transitions to redirect_to path when authenticated and removes other params'
+    );
+    auth.currentToken = originalToken;
+  });
+});