diff --git a/api/services_auth.go b/api/services_auth.go
index 648374c7a..a26d189f9 100644
--- a/api/services_auth.go
+++ b/api/services_auth.go
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"crypto/x509"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/lxd/response"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/lxd/util"
+	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared/api"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared/logger"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared/trust"
 	"github.com/canonical/microcluster/v2/state"
@@ -17,6 +19,12 @@ import (
 // endpointHandler is just a convenience for writing clean return types.
 type endpointHandler func(state.State, *http.Request) response.Response
 
+// ErrNoCertificate is returned if the request does not contain a certificate.
+var ErrNoCertificate = errors.New("No certificate present in request")
+
+// ErrNoTLS is returned if the request does not have a TLS connection.
+var ErrNoTLS = errors.New("No TLS connection state")
+
 // authHandlerMTLS ensures a request has been authenticated using mTLS.
 func authHandlerMTLS(sh *service.Handler, f endpointHandler) endpointHandler {
 	return func(s state.State, r *http.Request) response.Response {
@@ -27,22 +35,24 @@ func authHandlerMTLS(sh *service.Handler, f endpointHandler) endpointHandler {
 		}
 
 		// Use certificate based authentication between cluster members.
-		if r.TLS != nil {
-			trustedCerts := s.Remotes().CertificatesNative()
-			for _, cert := range r.TLS.PeerCertificates {
-				// First evaluate the permanent turst store.
-				trusted, _ := util.CheckMutualTLS(*cert, trustedCerts)
-				if trusted {
-					return f(s, r)
-				}
+		trustedCerts := s.Remotes().CertificatesNative()
 
-				// Second evaluate the temporary trust store.
-				// This is the fallback during the forming of the cluster.
-				trusted, _ = util.CheckMutualTLS(*cert, sh.TemporaryTrustStore())
-				if trusted {
-					return f(s, r)
-				}
-			}
+		peerCertificate, err := GetPeerCertificate(r)
+		if err != nil {
+			return response.BadRequest(err)
+		}
+
+		// First evaluate the permanent trust store.
+		trusted, _ := util.CheckMutualTLS(*peerCertificate, trustedCerts)
+		if trusted {
+			return f(s, r)
+		}
+
+		// Second evaluate the temporary trust store.
+		// This is the fallback during the forming of the cluster.
+		trusted, _ = util.CheckMutualTLS(*peerCertificate, sh.TemporaryTrustStore())
+		if trusted {
+			return f(s, r)
 		}
 
 		return response.Forbidden(errors.New("Failed to authenticate using mTLS"))
@@ -90,3 +100,16 @@ func authHandlerHMAC(sh *service.Handler, f endpointHandler) endpointHandler {
 		return f(s, r)
 	}
 }
+
+// GetPeerCertificate returns the first peer certificate in the request TLS connection states peer certificate list.
+func GetPeerCertificate(r *http.Request) (*x509.Certificate, error) {
+	if r.TLS == nil {
+		return nil, api.StatusErrorf(http.StatusBadRequest, "%w", ErrNoTLS)
+	}
+
+	if len(r.TLS.PeerCertificates) == 0 {
+		return nil, api.StatusErrorf(http.StatusBadRequest, "%w", ErrNoCertificate)
+	}
+
+	return r.TLS.PeerCertificates[0], nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/microcloudd/main.go b/cmd/microcloudd/main.go
index 1fe02de9a..b64411b5f 100644
--- a/cmd/microcloudd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/microcloudd/main.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -241,6 +243,26 @@ func (c *cmdDaemon) run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 				return nil
 			},
+			OnAuthenticate: func(ctx context.Context, state state.State, r *http.Request, trustedCerts map[string]x509.Certificate) (bool, error) {
+				peerCertificate, err := api.GetPeerCertificate(r)
+				if err != nil {
+					// During explicit trust establishment there is no peer certificate as the members use HMAC authentication.
+					// Therefore return false (unauthenticated) without an error.
+					// This gives MicroCloud's HMAC handler a chance to handle the request in the next step.
+					if errors.Is(err, api.ErrNoCertificate) {
+						return false, nil
+					}
+
+					return false, err
+				}
+
+				trusted, fingerprint := util.CheckMutualTLS(*peerCertificate, trustedCerts)
+				if trusted {
+					logger.Debug("Authenticated request", logger.Ctx{"fingerprint": fingerprint})
+				}
+
+				return trusted, nil
+			},
 		},
 
 		ExtensionServers: map[string]rest.Server{