diff --git a/src/IdentityAuthClient.js b/src/IdentityAuthClient.js
index 94109ff265..f3ec400148 100644
--- a/src/IdentityAuthClient.js
+++ b/src/IdentityAuthClient.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import MatrixClientPeg from './MatrixClientPeg';
 export default class IdentityAuthClient {
     constructor() {
         this.accessToken = null;
+        this.authEnabled = true;
     }
 
     hasCredentials() {
@@ -27,34 +28,52 @@ export default class IdentityAuthClient {
 
     // Returns a promise that resolves to the access_token string from the IS
     async getAccessToken() {
+        if (!this.authEnabled) {
+            // The current IS doesn't support authentication
+            return null;
+        }
+
         let token = this.accessToken;
         if (!token) {
             token = window.localStorage.getItem("mx_is_access_token");
         }
 
         if (!token) {
-            return this.registerForToken();
+            token = await this.registerForToken();
+            this.accessToken = token;
+            window.localStorage.setItem("mx_is_access_token", token);
         }
 
         try {
-            return await this._checkToken(token);
+            await this._checkToken(token);
         } catch (e) {
-            return await this.registerForToken();
+            // Retry in case token expired
+            token = await this.registerForToken();
+            this.accessToken = token;
+            window.localStorage.setItem("mx_is_access_token", token);
         }
+
+        return token;
     }
 
     _checkToken(token) {
         // TODO: Test current API token via /account endpoint
-        return token;
     }
 
     async registerForToken() {
-        const hsOpenIdToken = await MatrixClientPeg.get().getOpenIdToken();
-        const { access_token: isAccessToken } =
-            await MatrixClientPeg.get().registerWithIdentityServer(hsOpenIdToken);
-        await this._checkToken(isAccessToken);
-        this.accessToken = isAccessToken;
-        window.localStorage.setItem("mx_is_access_token", isAccessToken);
-        return isAccessToken;
+        try {
+            const hsOpenIdToken = await MatrixClientPeg.get().getOpenIdToken();
+            const { access_token: isAccessToken } =
+                await MatrixClientPeg.get().registerWithIdentityServer(hsOpenIdToken);
+            await this._checkToken(isAccessToken);
+            return isAccessToken;
+        } catch (err) {
+            if (err.cors === "rejected" || err.httpStatus === 404) {
+                // Assume IS only supports deprecated v1 API for now
+                // TODO: Remove this path once v2 is only supported version
+                console.warn("IS doesn't support v2 auth");
+                this.authEnabled = false;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }