diff --git a/.env.example.complete b/.env.example.complete
index 0c7f8f6a5..c40ab1380 100644
--- a/.env.example.complete
+++ b/.env.example.complete
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ STORAGE_URL=false
 # Can be 'standard', 'ldap', 'saml2' or 'oidc'
 AUTH_METHOD=standard
 
+# Automatically initiate login via external auth system if it's the only auth method.
+# Works with saml2 or oidc auth methods.
+AUTH_AUTO_INITIATE=false
+
 # Social authentication configuration
 # All disabled by default.
 # Refer to https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/admin/third-party-auth/
diff --git a/app/Config/auth.php b/app/Config/auth.php
index 1e1a9d350..37190156a 100644
--- a/app/Config/auth.php
+++ b/app/Config/auth.php
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ return [
     // Options: standard, ldap, saml2, oidc
     'method' => env('AUTH_METHOD', 'standard'),
 
+    // Automatically initiate login via external auth system if it's the sole auth method.
+    // Works with saml2 or oidc auth methods.
+    'auto_initiate' => env('AUTH_AUTO_INITIATE', false),
+
     // Authentication Defaults
     // This option controls the default authentication "guard" and password
     // reset options for your application.
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/LoginController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/LoginController.php
index 742e10472..f1a1a8bd6 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/LoginController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/LoginController.php
@@ -25,17 +25,16 @@ class LoginController extends Controller
     |
     */
 
-    use AuthenticatesUsers;
+    use AuthenticatesUsers { logout as traitLogout; }
 
     /**
      * Redirection paths.
      */
     protected $redirectTo = '/';
     protected $redirectPath = '/';
-    protected $redirectAfterLogout = '/login';
 
-    protected $socialAuthService;
-    protected $loginService;
+    protected SocialAuthService $socialAuthService;
+    protected LoginService $loginService;
 
     /**
      * Create a new controller instance.
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@ class LoginController extends Controller
         $this->loginService = $loginService;
 
         $this->redirectPath = url('/');
-        $this->redirectAfterLogout = url('/login');
     }
 
     public function username()
@@ -73,6 +71,7 @@ class LoginController extends Controller
     {
         $socialDrivers = $this->socialAuthService->getActiveDrivers();
         $authMethod = config('auth.method');
+        $preventInitiation = $request->get('prevent_auto_init') === 'true';
 
         if ($request->has('email')) {
             session()->flashInput([
@@ -84,6 +83,12 @@ class LoginController extends Controller
         // Store the previous location for redirect after login
         $this->updateIntendedFromPrevious();
 
+        if (!$preventInitiation && $this->shouldAutoInitiate()) {
+            return view('auth.login-initiate', [
+                'authMethod'    => $authMethod,
+            ]);
+        }
+
         return view('auth.login', [
             'socialDrivers' => $socialDrivers,
             'authMethod'    => $authMethod,
@@ -251,4 +256,32 @@ class LoginController extends Controller
 
         redirect()->setIntendedUrl($previous);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if login auto-initiate should be valid based upon authentication config.
+     */
+    protected function shouldAutoInitiate(): bool
+    {
+        $socialDrivers = $this->socialAuthService->getActiveDrivers();
+        $authMethod = config('auth.method');
+        $autoRedirect = config('auth.auto_initiate');
+
+        return $autoRedirect && count($socialDrivers) === 0 && in_array($authMethod, ['oidc', 'saml2']);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Logout user and perform subsequent redirect.
+     *
+     * @param \Illuminate\Http\Request $request
+     *
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    public function logout(Request $request)
+    {
+        $this->traitLogout($request);
+
+        $redirectUri = $this->shouldAutoInitiate() ? '/login?prevent_auto_init=true' : '/';
+
+        return redirect($redirectUri);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/phpunit.xml b/phpunit.xml
index 90320ff41..56a510b10 100644
--- a/phpunit.xml
+++ b/phpunit.xml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     <server name="MAIL_DRIVER" value="array"/>
     <server name="LOG_CHANNEL" value="single"/>
     <server name="AUTH_METHOD" value="standard"/>
+    <server name="AUTH_AUTO_INITIATE" value="false"/>
     <server name="DISABLE_EXTERNAL_SERVICES" value="true"/>
     <server name="ALLOW_UNTRUSTED_SERVER_FETCHING" value="false"/>
     <server name="AVATAR_URL" value=""/>
diff --git a/resources/lang/en/auth.php b/resources/lang/en/auth.php
index ad0d516bb..c670106f9 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en/auth.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en/auth.php
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ return [
     'registration_email_domain_invalid' => 'That email domain does not have access to this application',
     'register_success' => 'Thanks for signing up! You are now registered and signed in.',
 
+    // Login auto-initiation
+    'auto_init_starting' => 'Attempting Login',
+    'auto_init_starting_desc' => 'We\'re contacting your authentication system to start the login process. If there\'s no progress after 5 seconds you can try clicking the link below.',
+    'auto_init_start_link' => 'Proceed with authentication',
+
     // Password Reset
     'reset_password' => 'Reset Password',
     'reset_password_send_instructions' => 'Enter your email below and you will be sent an email with a password reset link.',
diff --git a/resources/sass/_buttons.scss b/resources/sass/_buttons.scss
index 850443d9a..714dfc42c 100644
--- a/resources/sass/_buttons.scss
+++ b/resources/sass/_buttons.scss
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ button {
     fill: var(--color-primary);
   }
 }
+.text-button.hover-underline:hover {
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
 
 .button.block {
   width: 100%;
diff --git a/resources/views/auth/login-initiate.blade.php b/resources/views/auth/login-initiate.blade.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..520175f09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/views/auth/login-initiate.blade.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+@extends('layouts.simple')
+
+@section('content')
+
+    <div class="container very-small">
+
+        <div class="my-l">&nbsp;</div>
+
+        <div class="card content-wrap auto-height">
+            <h1 class="list-heading">{{ trans('auth.auto_init_starting') }}</h1>
+
+            <div style="display:none">
+                @include('auth.parts.login-form-' . $authMethod)
+            </div>
+
+            <div class="grid half left-focus">
+                <div>
+                    <p class="text-small">{{ trans('auth.auto_init_starting_desc') }}</p>
+                    <p>
+                        <button type="submit" form="login-form" class="p-none text-button hover-underline">
+                            {{ trans('auth.auto_init_start_link') }}
+                        </button>
+                    </p>
+                </div>
+                <div class="text-center">
+                    @include('common.loading-icon')
+                </div>
+            </div>
+
+            <script nonce="{{ $cspNonce }}">
+                window.addEventListener('load', () => document.forms['login-form'].submit());
+            </script>
+
+        </div>
+    </div>
+
+@stop
diff --git a/tests/Auth/LoginAutoInitiateTest.php b/tests/Auth/LoginAutoInitiateTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a2941e21b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Auth/LoginAutoInitiateTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Tests\Auth;
+
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+class LoginAutoInitiateTest extends TestCase
+{
+
+    protected function setUp(): void
+    {
+        parent::setUp();
+
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.auto_initiate' => true,
+            'services.google.client_id' => false,
+            'services.github.client_id' => false,
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_with_oidc()
+    {
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.method' => 'oidc',
+        ]);
+
+        $req = $this->get('/login');
+        $req->assertSeeText('Attempting Login');
+        $req->assertElementExists('form[action$="/oidc/login"][method=POST][id="login-form"] button');
+        $req->assertElementExists('button[form="login-form"]');
+    }
+
+    public function test_with_saml2()
+    {
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.method' => 'saml2',
+        ]);
+
+        $req = $this->get('/login');
+        $req->assertSeeText('Attempting Login');
+        $req->assertElementExists('form[action$="/saml2/login"][method=POST][id="login-form"] button');
+        $req->assertElementExists('button[form="login-form"]');
+    }
+
+    public function test_it_does_not_run_if_social_provider_is_active()
+    {
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.method' => 'oidc',
+            'services.google.client_id' => 'abc123a',
+            'services.google.client_secret' => 'def456',
+        ]);
+
+        $req = $this->get('/login');
+        $req->assertDontSeeText('Attempting Login');
+        $req->assertSee('Log In');
+    }
+
+    public function test_it_does_not_run_if_prevent_query_string_exists()
+    {
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.method' => 'oidc',
+        ]);
+
+        $req = $this->get('/login?prevent_auto_init=true');
+        $req->assertDontSeeText('Attempting Login');
+        $req->assertSee('Log In');
+    }
+
+    public function test_logout_with_auto_init_leads_to_login_page_with_prevention_query()
+    {
+        config()->set([
+            'auth.method' => 'oidc',
+        ]);
+        $this->actingAs($this->getEditor());
+
+        $req = $this->post('/logout');
+        $req->assertRedirect('/login?prevent_auto_init=true');
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file