diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 56d72aa..c483972 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::{
     path::PathBuf,
     process::{Child, Command, Stdio},
     sync::Mutex,
-    time::{Duration, Instant},
+    time::{Duration, Instant, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH},
 };
 use tauri::{AppHandle, Manager};
 use thiserror::Error;
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ async fn connect_runtime(
                     "No local GPU runtime was available and Vast API key is empty.".to_string(),
                 )
             })?;
-        let status = connect_vast(
+        let (status, auth_token) = connect_vast(
             &state.client,
             api_key,
             &configured_image,
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ async fn connect_runtime(
             local_gpu,
         )
         .await?;
+        store_pitch_server_auth_token(&state, auth_token)?;
         replace_status(&app, &state, status.clone())?;
         Ok(status)
     })
@@ -515,7 +516,7 @@ async fn score_pitch(
             .post(format!("{service_url}/score"))
             .json(&request)
             .timeout(Duration::from_secs(TRIBE_CLIENT_SCORE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS));
-        if status.mode == "pitchserver" {
+        if status.mode == "pitchserver" || status.mode == "vast" {
             let token = pitch_server_auth_token(&state)?;
             request_builder = request_builder.bearer_auth(token);
         }
@@ -1942,7 +1943,7 @@ async fn connect_vast(
     image: &str,
     config: &RuntimeConfig,
     local_gpu: LocalGpuInfo,
-) -> RuntimeResult<RuntimeStatus> {
+) -> RuntimeResult<(RuntimeStatus, String)> {
     let mut offers = search_vast_offers(client, api_key, config).await?;
     if let Some(max_price) = config.max_hourly_price {
         offers.retain(|offer| offer.dph_total.unwrap_or(f64::MAX) <= max_price);
@@ -1970,8 +1971,19 @@ async fn connect_vast(
     let vast_image = select_vast_image(client, image).await;
     let use_bootstrap = vast_image != image;
     let mut last_error: Option<String> = None;
+    let (auth_username, auth_password) = vast_auth_credentials(config);
     for offer in offers.iter().take(5) {
-        match create_vast_instance(client, api_key, offer, &vast_image, config, use_bootstrap).await
+        match create_vast_instance(
+            client,
+            api_key,
+            offer,
+            &vast_image,
+            config,
+            use_bootstrap,
+            &auth_username,
+            &auth_password,
+        )
+        .await
         {
             Ok(instance_id) => {
                 if let Err(error) = start_vast_instance(client, api_key, instance_id).await {
@@ -1979,7 +1991,16 @@ async fn connect_vast(
                     last_error = Some(error.to_string());
                     continue;
                 }
-                match wait_for_vast_runtime(client, api_key, instance_id, &vast_image, offer).await
+                match wait_for_vast_runtime(
+                    client,
+                    api_key,
+                    instance_id,
+                    &vast_image,
+                    offer,
+                    &auth_username,
+                    &auth_password,
+                )
+                .await
                 {
                     Ok(mut status) => {
                         status.local_gpu = local_gpu;
@@ -2197,6 +2218,8 @@ async fn create_vast_instance(
     image: &str,
     config: &RuntimeConfig,
     use_bootstrap: bool,
+    auth_username: &str,
+    auth_password: &str,
 ) -> RuntimeResult<u64> {
     let mut env = Map::new();
     env.insert("TRIBE_DEVICE".to_string(), json!("cuda"));
@@ -2243,6 +2266,23 @@ async fn create_vast_instance(
         "OPEN_BUTTON_PORT".to_string(),
         json!(TRIBE_PORT.to_string()),
     );
+    env.insert("PITCHSERVER_AUTH_REQUIRED".to_string(), json!("1"));
+    env.insert(
+        "PITCHSERVER_AUTH_FILE".to_string(),
+        json!("/tmp/pitchcheck_auth.json"),
+    );
+    env.insert(
+        "PITCHSERVER_AUTH_SEED_USERNAME".to_string(),
+        json!(auth_username),
+    );
+    env.insert(
+        "PITCHSERVER_AUTH_SEED_PASSWORD".to_string(),
+        json!(auth_password),
+    );
+    env.insert(
+        "PITCHSERVER_SESSION_TTL_SECONDS".to_string(),
+        json!("86400"),
+    );
     env.insert(format!("-p {TRIBE_PORT}:{TRIBE_PORT}"), json!("1"));
 
     let onstart = if use_bootstrap {
@@ -2299,7 +2339,9 @@ async fn wait_for_vast_runtime(
     instance_id: u64,
     image: &str,
     offer: &OfferSummary,
-) -> RuntimeResult<RuntimeStatus> {
+    auth_username: &str,
+    auth_password: &str,
+) -> RuntimeResult<(RuntimeStatus, String)> {
     let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(900);
 
     loop {
@@ -2308,17 +2350,23 @@ async fn wait_for_vast_runtime(
             if let Some(service_url) = service_url_from_instance(&instance, TRIBE_PORT) {
                 match wait_for_health(client, &service_url, Duration::from_secs(15)).await {
                     Ok(()) => {
-                        return Ok(RuntimeStatus {
-                            mode: "vast".to_string(),
-                            connected: true,
-                            service_url: Some(service_url),
-                            local_gpu: LocalGpuInfo::default(),
-                            container_id: None,
-                            vast_instance_id: Some(instance_id),
-                            offer: Some(offer.clone()),
-                            image: image.to_string(),
-                            last_error: None,
-                        });
+                        let token =
+                            login_pitch_server(client, &service_url, auth_username, auth_password)
+                                .await?;
+                        return Ok((
+                            RuntimeStatus {
+                                mode: "vast".to_string(),
+                                connected: true,
+                                service_url: Some(service_url),
+                                local_gpu: LocalGpuInfo::default(),
+                                container_id: None,
+                                vast_instance_id: Some(instance_id),
+                                offer: Some(offer.clone()),
+                                image: image.to_string(),
+                                last_error: None,
+                            },
+                            token,
+                        ));
                     }
                     Err(error) => error.to_string(),
                 }
@@ -2335,6 +2383,29 @@ async fn wait_for_vast_runtime(
     }
 }
 
+fn vast_auth_credentials(config: &RuntimeConfig) -> (String, String) {
+    let username = config
+        .pitch_server_username
+        .as_deref()
+        .map(str::trim)
+        .filter(|value| !value.is_empty())
+        .unwrap_or("pitchcheck")
+        .to_string();
+    let password = config
+        .pitch_server_password
+        .as_deref()
+        .filter(|value| !value.trim().is_empty())
+        .map(str::to_string)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            let nonce = SystemTime::now()
+                .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)
+                .map(|duration| duration.as_nanos())
+                .unwrap_or(0);
+            format!("vast-{nonce:032x}")
+        });
+    (username, password)
+}
+
 async fn fetch_vast_instance(
     client: &Client,
     api_key: &str,