diff --git a/zerver/context_processors.py b/zerver/context_processors.py
index b1a737e3a4..d6bd7a1b8b 100644
--- a/zerver/context_processors.py
+++ b/zerver/context_processors.py
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@ import ujson
 from zproject.backends import password_auth_enabled, dev_auth_enabled, google_auth_enabled
 
 def add_settings(request):
-    if hasattr(request.user, "realm"):
-        is_pw_auth_enabled = password_auth_enabled(request.user.realm)
-    else:
-        is_pw_auth_enabled = True
+    realm = request.user.realm if hasattr(request.user, "realm") else None
     return {
         'full_navbar':   settings.FULL_NAVBAR,
         # We use the not_enterprise variable name so that templates
@@ -24,7 +21,7 @@ def add_settings(request):
         'api_site_required': settings.EXTERNAL_API_PATH != "api.zulip.com",
         'email_integration_enabled': settings.EMAIL_GATEWAY_BOT != "",
         'email_gateway_example': settings.EMAIL_GATEWAY_EXAMPLE,
-        'password_auth_enabled': is_pw_auth_enabled,
+        'password_auth_enabled': password_auth_enabled(realm),
         'dev_auth_enabled': dev_auth_enabled(),
         'google_auth_enabled': google_auth_enabled(),
     }
diff --git a/zproject/backends.py b/zproject/backends.py
index 567236c8e6..32b017a1c5 100644
--- a/zproject/backends.py
+++ b/zproject/backends.py
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ from apiclient.sample_tools import client as googleapiclient
 from oauth2client.crypt import AppIdentityError
 
 def password_auth_enabled(realm):
-    if realm.domain == 'employees.customer16.invalid':
-        return False
-    elif realm.domain == 'zulip.com' and settings.DEPLOYED:
-        # the dropbox realm is SSO only, but the unit tests still need to be
-        # able to login
-        return False
+    if realm is not None:
+        if realm.domain == 'employees.customer16.invalid':
+            return False
+        elif realm.domain == 'zulip.com' and settings.DEPLOYED:
+            # the dropbox realm is SSO only, but the unit tests still need to be
+            # able to login
+            return False
 
     for backend in django.contrib.auth.get_backends():
          if isinstance(backend, EmailAuthBackend):