diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/Auth.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/Auth.java
index c561aab6ff..c9a42a2724 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/Auth.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/Auth.java
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@ public class Auth
      */
     public static void setup()
     {
+        if (DatabaseDescriptor.getAuthenticator() instanceof AllowAllAuthenticator)
+            return;
+
         setupAuthKeyspace();
         setupUsersTable();