diff --git a/cli/koji_cli/commands.py b/cli/koji_cli/commands.py
index 95f30aaa..a6fedbdb 100644
--- a/cli/koji_cli/commands.py
+++ b/cli/koji_cli/commands.py
@@ -1793,6 +1793,7 @@ def handle_prune_signed_copies(goptions, session, args):
     cutoff_ts = time.time() - options.days * 24 * 3600
     if options.debug:
         print("Cutoff date: %s" % time.asctime(time.localtime(cutoff_ts)))
+    activate_session(session, goptions)
     if not options.build:
         if options.verbose:
             print("Getting builds...")
@@ -2145,11 +2146,12 @@ def handle_add_volume(goptions, session, args):
     print("Added volume %(name)s with id %(id)i" % volinfo)
 
 
-def handle_list_volumes(options, session, args):
+def anon_handle_list_volumes(options, session, args):
     "[info] List storage volumes"
     usage = _("usage: %prog list-volumes")
     parser = OptionParser(usage=get_usage_str(usage))
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args(args)
+    ensure_connection(session, options)
     for volinfo in session.listVolumes():
         print(volinfo['name'])
 
@@ -7265,6 +7267,7 @@ def anon_handle_download_logs(options, session, args):
             for child_task in child_tasks:
                 save_logs(child_task['id'], match, task_log_dir, recurse)
 
+    ensure_connection(session, options)
     for arg in args:
         if suboptions.nvr:
             suboptions.recurse = True
@@ -7413,6 +7416,7 @@ def anon_handle_wait_repo(options, session, args):
 
     tag = args[0]
 
+    ensure_connection(session, options)
     if suboptions.target:
         target_info = session.getBuildTarget(tag)
         if not target_info:
@@ -7707,6 +7711,7 @@ def anon_handle_search(options, session, args):
         matchType = 'regexp'
     elif options.exact:
         matchType = 'exact'
+    ensure_connection(session, options)
     data = session.search(pattern, type, matchType)
     for row in data:
         print(row['name'])
diff --git a/cli/koji_cli/lib.py b/cli/koji_cli/lib.py
index f1ab931c..bb80ca7f 100644
--- a/cli/koji_cli/lib.py
+++ b/cli/koji_cli/lib.py
@@ -136,6 +136,10 @@ def get_usage_str(usage):
 
 
 def ensure_connection(session, options=None):
+    if options and options.force_auth:
+        # in such case we should act as a real activate_session
+        activate_session(session, options)
+        return
     try:
         ret = session.getAPIVersion()
     except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as ex:
@@ -751,6 +755,8 @@ def activate_session(session, options):
             warn(_("Could not connect to Kerberos authentication service: %s") % e.args[1])
     if not noauth and not session.logged_in:
         error(_("Unable to log in, no authentication methods available"))
+    # don't add "options" to ensure_connection it would create loop in case of --force-auth
+    # when it calls activate_session
     ensure_connection(session)
     if getattr(options, 'debug', None):
         print("successfully connected to hub")
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_download_logs.py b/tests/test_cli/test_download_logs.py
index 02e83f31..e628ff53 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_download_logs.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_download_logs.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class TestDownloadLogs(utils.CliTestCase):
             'koji_cli.commands.list_task_output_all_volumes').start()
         self.ensuredir = mock.patch('koji.ensuredir').start()
         self.download_file = mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.download_file').start()
-        self.activate_session = mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session').start()
+        self.ensure_connection = mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection').start()
         self.stdout = mock.patch('sys.stdout', new_callable=six.StringIO).start()
         self.stderr = mock.patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=six.StringIO).start()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_list_targets.py b/tests/test_cli/test_list_targets.py
index 5c51993f..be8a0bc8 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_list_targets.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_list_targets.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestCliListTargets(utils.CliTestCase):
         time.tzset()
 
     @mock.patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     def test_list_targets_error_args(self, ensure_connection_mock, stderr):
         session = mock.MagicMock(getAPIVersion=lambda: koji.API_VERSION,
                                  getBuildTargets=lambda n: [])
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class TestCliListTargets(utils.CliTestCase):
         self.assertExitCode(ex, 2)
 
     @mock.patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     def test_list_targets_error_all_not_found(self, ensure_connection_mock, stderr):
         session = mock.MagicMock(getAPIVersion=lambda: koji.API_VERSION,
                                  getBuildTargets=lambda n: [])
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class TestCliListTargets(utils.CliTestCase):
     @mock.patch('optparse.OptionParser.parse_args',
                 return_value=(Values({'quiet': False, 'name': 'f50'}), []))
     @mock.patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     def test_list_targets_error_name_not_found(self, ensure_connection_mock, stderr, opt):
         session = mock.MagicMock(getAPIVersion=lambda: koji.API_VERSION,
                                  getBuildTargets=lambda n: [])
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class TestCliListTargets(utils.CliTestCase):
         self.assertTrue('No such build target:' in stderr.getvalue())
 
     @mock.patch('sys.stdout', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     def test_list_targets_all(self, ensure_connection_mock, stdout):
         session = mock.MagicMock(getAPIVersion=lambda: koji.API_VERSION,
                                  getBuildTargets=lambda n: _mock_targets)
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class TestCliListTargets(utils.CliTestCase):
     @mock.patch('optparse.OptionParser.parse_args',
                 return_value=(Values({'quiet': False, 'name': 'f50'}), []))
     @mock.patch('sys.stdout', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     def test_list_targets_one(self, ensure_connection_mock, stdout, opt):
         session = mock.MagicMock(getAPIVersion=lambda: koji.API_VERSION,
                                  getBuildTargets=lambda n: _mock_targets)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_list_volumes.py b/tests/test_cli/test_list_volumes.py
index 4c60bb5d..890eba27 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_list_volumes.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_list_volumes.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import mock
 import six
 import unittest
 
-from koji_cli.commands import handle_list_volumes
+from koji_cli.commands import anon_handle_list_volumes
 from . import utils
 
 
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ class TestListVolumes(utils.CliTestCase):
     maxDiff = None
 
     @mock.patch('sys.stdout', new_callable=six.StringIO)
-    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session')
-    def test_handle_list_volumes(
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
+    def test_anon_handle_list_volumes(
             self,
-            activate_session_mock,
+            ensure_connection_mock,
             stdout):
-        """Test handle_list_volumes function"""
+        """Test anon_handle_list_volumes function"""
         session = mock.MagicMock()
         options = mock.MagicMock()
         vol_info = [
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ class TestListVolumes(utils.CliTestCase):
 
         expected = "\n".join([v['name'] for v in vol_info]) + "\n"
         session.listVolumes.return_value = vol_info
-        handle_list_volumes(options, session, [])
+        anon_handle_list_volumes(options, session, [])
         self.assert_console_message(stdout, expected)
 
-    def test_handle_list_volumes_help(self):
+    def test_anon_handle_list_volumes_help(self):
         self.assert_help(
-            handle_list_volumes,
+            anon_handle_list_volumes,
             """Usage: %s list-volumes
 (Specify the --help global option for a list of other help options)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_search.py b/tests/test_cli/test_search.py
index c76ea818..2996c2a9 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_search.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_search.py
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ Available search types: package, build, tag, target, user, host, rpm, maven, win
 %s: error: {message}
 """ % (self.progname, self.progname)
 
+    @mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection')
     @mock.patch('sys.stdout', new_callable=six.StringIO)
     def test_anon_handle_search(
             self,
-            stdout):
+            stdout,
+            ensure_connection_mock):
         """Test anon_handle_search function"""
         session = mock.MagicMock()
         options = mock.MagicMock()
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test_wait_repo.py b/tests/test_cli/test_wait_repo.py
index 7d4f1524..25fe82b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test_wait_repo.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test_wait_repo.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class TestWaitRepo(utils.CliTestCase):
 
     def setUpMocks(self):
         self.activate_session = mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.activate_session').start()
+        self.ensure_connection = mock.patch('koji_cli.commands.ensure_connection').start()
         self.checkForBuilds = mock.patch('koji.util.checkForBuilds').start()
 
     def tearDown(self):