diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index 88736e1f0d..0b925aee0f 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ function api_register_func($path, $func, $auth = false, $method = API_METHOD_ANY
  * Simple Auth allow username in form of <pre>user@server</pre>, ignoring server part
  *
  * @param App $a App
+ * @param bool $do_login try to log in when not logged in, otherwise quit silently
  * @throws ForbiddenException
  * @throws InternalServerErrorException
  * @throws UnauthorizedException
@@ -185,8 +186,10 @@ function api_register_func($path, $func, $auth = false, $method = API_METHOD_ANY
  *               'authenticated' => return status,
  *               'user_record' => return authenticated user record
  */
-function api_login(App $a)
+function api_login(App $a, bool $do_login = true)
 {
+	$_SESSION["allow_api"] = false;
+
 	// workaround for HTTP-auth in CGI mode
 	if (!empty($_SERVER['REDIRECT_REMOTE_USER'])) {
 		$userpass = base64_decode(substr($_SERVER["REDIRECT_REMOTE_USER"], 6));
@@ -216,6 +219,10 @@ function api_login(App $a)
 			Logger::warning(API_LOG_PREFIX . 'OAuth error', ['module' => 'api', 'action' => 'login', 'exception' => $e->getMessage()]);
 		}
 
+		if (!$do_login) {
+			return;
+		}
+
 		Logger::debug(API_LOG_PREFIX . 'failed', ['module' => 'api', 'action' => 'login', 'parameters' => $_SERVER]);
 		header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="Friendica"');
 		throw new UnauthorizedException("This API requires login");
@@ -257,6 +264,9 @@ function api_login(App $a)
 	}
 
 	if (!DBA::isResult($record)) {
+		if (!$do_login) {
+			return;
+		}
 		Logger::debug(API_LOG_PREFIX . 'failed', ['module' => 'api', 'action' => 'login', 'parameters' => $_SERVER]);
 		header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="Friendica"');
 		//header('HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized');
diff --git a/src/Module/BaseApi.php b/src/Module/BaseApi.php
index d62014afc4..c161159e26 100644
--- a/src/Module/BaseApi.php
+++ b/src/Module/BaseApi.php
@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@ class BaseApi extends BaseModule
 		return (bool)self::$current_user_id;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Get current user id, returns 0 if not logged in
+	 *
+	 * @return int User ID
+	 */
+	protected static function getCurrentUserID()
+	{
+		if (is_null(self::$current_user_id)) {
+			api_login(DI::app(), false);
+
+			self::$current_user_id = api_user();
+		}
+
+		return (int)self::$current_user_id;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Get user info array.
 	 *