diff --git a/config/local_info.xml b/config/local_info.xml
index ee3cdb787..ab08e62df 100755
--- a/config/local_info.xml
+++ b/config/local_info.xml
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@
     -->
     <restrict_personal_data>false</restrict_personal_data>
 
+    <igtf>
+        <admin_only>true</admin_only>
+    </igtf>
+
   </local_info>
 
   <!--
diff --git a/config/local_info.xsd b/config/local_info.xsd
index 2f30a4607..8dea9d86a 100755
--- a/config/local_info.xsd
+++ b/config/local_info.xsd
@@ -121,6 +121,13 @@
                 </xs:complexType>
               </xs:element>
               <xs:element name="send_email" type="xs:boolean" minOccurs="0"/>
+              <xs:element name="igtf">
+                <xs:complexType>
+                  <xs:all>
+                    <xs:element name="admin_only" type="xs:boolean" minOccurs="1"/>
+                  </xs:all>
+                </xs:complexType>
+              </xs:element>
             </xs:all>
             <xs:attribute name="url" type="xs:anyURI"/>
           </xs:complexType>
diff --git a/htdocs/landing/index.php b/htdocs/landing/index.php
index 3c9303797..4b0f334d8 100644
--- a/htdocs/landing/index.php
+++ b/htdocs/landing/index.php
@@ -1,4 +1,27 @@
 <?php
+  if(session_start() === PHP_SESSION_NONE) {
+    session_start();
+  }
+
+  // Check if SSL client verification is successful
+  $sslClientVerify = isset($_SERVER['SSL_CLIENT_VERIFY'])
+    ? $_SERVER['SSL_CLIENT_VERIFY']
+    : 'NONE';
+
+  $pathName = isset($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'])
+    ? $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']
+    : '/';
+
+  if (
+    $sslClientVerify === 'SUCCESS'
+    && empty($_SESSION['SSL-Retry_login'])
+    && $pathName === "/"
+  ) {
+    // Redirect the user to the /portal from the root URL.
+    header("Location: /portal");
+    die();
+  }
+
   require_once __DIR__.'/../../lib/Gocdb_Services/Factory.php';
   $configServ = \Factory::getConfigService();
   $configServ->setLocalInfoOverride($_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']);
@@ -39,8 +62,6 @@
             ?>
           </div>
           <div style="width: 80%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
-            <a href="/portal/" style="width:68%; font-size:1.7em" class="button">Access GOCDB using your IGTF X.509 Certificate</a>
-            <p>or</p>
             <p>Access GOCDB using one of the following:</p>
             <div>
               <?php
diff --git a/htdocs/web_portal/components/Get_User_Principle.php b/htdocs/web_portal/components/Get_User_Principle.php
index 78c79e361..d999c7736 100644
--- a/htdocs/web_portal/components/Get_User_Principle.php
+++ b/htdocs/web_portal/components/Get_User_Principle.php
@@ -108,13 +108,15 @@ function Get_User_AuthToken(){
     /* @var $firewall \org\gocdb\security\authentication\IFirewallComponent */
     $firewall = $firewallArray['fwC1']; // select which firewall component you need
     $auth = $firewall->getAuthentication();  // invoke token resolution process
+
     if ($auth != null) {
         $principleString = $auth->getPrinciple();
-        // update the static holder so we can quickly return the token
-        // for the current request on repeat callouts to Get_User_AuthToken (is quicker than authenticating again).
-        MyStaticPrincipleHolder::getInstance()->setPrincipleString($principleString);
-        MyStaticAuthTokenHolder::getInstance()->setAuthToken($auth);
-        return $auth;
+
+        $authToken = validateRequest($auth, $principleString, true);
+
+        if ($authToken !== null) {
+            return $authToken;
+        }
     }
 
     // We don't want the portal to be exposed without authentication (even
@@ -160,42 +162,24 @@ function Get_User_Principle(){
     /* @var $firewall \org\gocdb\security\authentication\IFirewallComponent */
     $firewall = $firewallArray['fwC1']; // select which firewall component you need
     $auth = $firewall->getAuthentication();  // invoke token resolution process
-    if ($auth != null) {
+
+    if ($auth !== null) {
         $principleString = $auth->getPrinciple();
-        // update the static holder so we can quickly return the principle
-        // for the current request on repeat callouts to Get_User_Principle (is quicker than authenticating again).
-        MyStaticPrincipleHolder::getInstance()->setPrincipleString($principleString);
-        MyStaticAuthTokenHolder::getInstance()->setAuthToken($auth);
-
-        $serv = \Factory::getUserService();
-
-        // Get user by searching user identifiers
-        $user = $serv->getUserByPrinciple($principleString);
-
-        // If cannot find user, search certificate DNs instead
-        if ($user === null) {
-            $user = $serv->getUserByCertificateDn($principleString);
-            $authExists = False;
-        } else {
-            $authExists = True;
-        }
 
-        // Is user registered/known in the DB? if true, update their last login time
-        // once for the current request.
-        if ($user !== null) {
-            $serv->updateLastLoginTime($user);
+        $authUserPrinciple = validateRequest($auth, $principleString, false);
 
-            // If identifier for current auth does not exist, add to user
-            if (!$authExists) {
-                // Get type of auth logged in with e.g. X.509)
-                $authType = $auth->getDetails()['AuthenticationRealm'][0];
-                $identifierArr = array($authType, $principleString);
-                $serv->migrateUserCredentials($user, $identifierArr, $user);
-            }
+        if ($authUserPrinciple !== null) {
+            return $authUserPrinciple;
         }
-        return $principleString;
     }
 
+    if(session_start() === PHP_SESSION_NONE) {
+        session_start();
+    }
+
+    // `SSL-Retry_login` is required to end the recursive calls to /portal.
+    $_SESSION['SSL-Retry_login'] = true;
+
     // We don't want the portal to be exposed without authentication (even
     // though no actual info is displayed to an unauthenticated user),
     // so if we have not set the principle/userDetails,
@@ -243,4 +227,69 @@ function redirectUserToDiscoveryPage()
     die();
 }
 
+/**
+ * Helper method to return the user principle string or authToken, if allowed.
+ *
+ * The authentication token object.
+ * @param $auth \org\gocdb\security\authentication\IAuthenticationToken
+ *
+ * The user's principle string (X.509 DN or SAML attribute).
+ * @param $principleString string
+ *
+ * If `$needAuthTokenOnly` is set to `true` -> It returns authToken
+ * @param $needAuthTokenOnly bool 
+ *
+ * The user's principle string or
+ * The IAuthenticationToken for the user or
+ * NULL if processing fails.
+ * @return string|\org\gocdb\security\authentication\IAuthenticationToken|null
+ */
+function validateRequest($auth, $principleString, $needAuthTokenOnly)
+{
+    $serv = \Factory::getUserService();
+
+    // Get user by searching user identifiers
+    $user = $serv->getUserByPrinciple($principleString);
+
+    // Get type of auth logged in with (e.g., X.509)
+    $authType = $auth->getDetails()['AuthenticationRealm'][0];
+
+    // Admin's are allowed to use IGTF ?
+    $canAdminAccessUsingIGTF = \Factory::getConfigService()->isAdminAllowedToUseIGTF();
+
+    /**
+     * Check if user exists and is either an admin who is allowed to use IGTF
+     * or user is NOT using X.509 authentication.
+     */
+    if (!is_null($user)) {
+        if (
+            ($canAdminAccessUsingIGTF && $user->isAdmin())
+            || $authType !== 'X.509'
+        ) {
+            /**
+             * Update the static holder with the principle string
+             * and auth token for quick retrieval.
+             */
+            MyStaticPrincipleHolder::getInstance()->setPrincipleString(
+                $principleString
+            );
+            MyStaticAuthTokenHolder::getInstance()->setAuthToken($auth);
+
+            if ($needAuthTokenOnly) {
+                return $auth;
+            }
+
+            /**
+             * If the user is registered/known in the DB,
+             * update their last login time.
+             */
+            $serv->updateLastLoginTime($user);
+
+            return $principleString;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return null;
+}
+
 ?>
diff --git a/lib/Gocdb_Services/Config.php b/lib/Gocdb_Services/Config.php
index 59576f417..601096664 100644
--- a/lib/Gocdb_Services/Config.php
+++ b/lib/Gocdb_Services/Config.php
@@ -567,4 +567,13 @@ public function getEmailTo()
 
         return $emailTo;
     }
+
+    public function isAdminAllowedToUseIGTF()
+    {
+        if (strtolower( $this->GetLocalInfoXML()->igtf->admin_only) === 'true') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
 }