diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/middleware.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/middleware.py
index 9bfe1e1b47..8436a5a905 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/middleware.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/middleware.py
@@ -394,7 +394,25 @@ class SafeSessionMiddleware(SessionMiddleware, MiddlewareMixin):
         if is_request_from_mobile_app(request):
             return HttpResponse(status=401)
 
-        return redirect_to_login(request.path)
+        # .. toggle_name: REDIRECT_TO_LOGIN_ON_SAFE_SESSION_AUTH_FAILURE
+        # .. toggle_implementation: SettingToggle
+        # .. toggle_default: True
+        # .. toggle_description: Turn this toggle off to roll out new functionality,
+        #      which returns a 401 rather than redirecting to login, when HTML is not expected by the client.
+        # .. toggle_use_cases: temporary
+        # .. toggle_creation_date: 2021-10-18
+        # .. toggle_target_removal_date: 2021-10-22
+        # .. toggle_tickets: https://openedx.atlassian.net/browse/ARCHBOM-1911
+        REDIRECT_TO_LOGIN_ON_SAFE_SESSION_AUTH_FAILURE = getattr(settings,
+                                                                 'REDIRECT_TO_LOGIN_ON_SAFE_SESSION_AUTH_FAILURE',
+                                                                 True
+                                                                 )
+
+        if REDIRECT_TO_LOGIN_ON_SAFE_SESSION_AUTH_FAILURE or 'text/html' in request.META.get('HTTP_ACCEPT', ''):
+            set_custom_attribute("safe_sessions.auth_failure", "redirect_to_login")
+            return redirect_to_login(request.path)
+        set_custom_attribute("safe_sessions.auth_failure", "401")
+        return HttpResponse(status=401)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _verify_user(request, response, userid_in_session):
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/tests/test_middleware.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/tests/test_middleware.py
index 4ea3ad8d65..9d137bfe8f 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/tests/test_middleware.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/safe_sessions/tests/test_middleware.py
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ class TestSafeSessionProcessRequest(TestSafeSessionsLogMixin, TestCase):
         self.assert_no_user_in_session()
 
     def test_parse_error_at_step_1(self):
+        self.request.META['HTTP_ACCEPT'] = 'text/html'
         with self.assert_parse_error():
             self.assert_response('not-a-safe-cookie', success=False)
         self.assert_no_session()
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ class TestSafeSessionProcessRequest(TestSafeSessionsLogMixin, TestCase):
     def test_invalid_user_at_step_4(self):
         self.client.login(username=self.user.username, password='test')
         safe_cookie_data = SafeCookieData.create(self.client.session.session_key, 'no_such_user')
+        self.request.META['HTTP_ACCEPT'] = 'text/html'
         with self.assert_incorrect_user_logged():
             self.assert_response(safe_cookie_data, success=False)
         self.assert_user_in_session()
@@ -314,8 +316,16 @@ class TestSafeSessionMiddleware(TestSafeSessionsLogMixin, TestCase):
             assert mock_delete_cookie.called
 
     def test_error(self):
+        self.request.META['HTTP_ACCEPT'] = 'text/html'
         self.verify_error(302)
 
+    @ddt.data(['text/html', 302], ['', 401])
+    @ddt.unpack
+    @override_settings(REDIRECT_TO_LOGIN_ON_SAFE_SESSION_AUTH_FAILURE=False)
+    def test_error_with_http_accept(self, http_accept, expected_response):
+        self.request.META['HTTP_ACCEPT'] = http_accept
+        self.verify_error(expected_response)
+
     @override_settings(MOBILE_APP_USER_AGENT_REGEXES=[r'open edX Mobile App'])
     def test_error_from_mobile_app(self):
         self.request.META = {'HTTP_USER_AGENT': 'open edX Mobile App Version 2.1'}