diff --git a/internal/monitoring/pve_session_recovery_test.go b/internal/monitoring/pve_session_recovery_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc8d0b8ab8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/monitoring/pve_session_recovery_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+package monitoring
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/internal/config"
+	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/internal/models"
+	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/internal/unifiedresources"
+	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/pkg/proxmox"
+)
+
+// Exercise the changed password client through the real parallel node poller,
+// registry and frontend projection. No native QGA/SSH, backup or database is
+// used. The emitted synthetic resources also feed the retained pixel proof.
+func TestPVESessionRenewalProducesTrustedNodeReadback(t *testing.T) {
+	const count = 8
+	var authCalls, rejectedStatus, acceptedStatus, agentCalls atomic.Int32
+	allOldReads := make(chan struct{})
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		switch {
+		case strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/access/ticket"):
+			n := authCalls.Add(1)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"data":{"ticket":"synthetic-session-%d","CSRFPreventionToken":"synthetic-csrf-%d"}}`, n, n)
+		case r.URL.Path == "/api2/json/nodes":
+			nodes := make([]proxmox.Node, count)
+			for i := range nodes {
+				nodes[i] = proxmox.Node{Node: fmt.Sprintf("session-node-%02d", i+1), Status: "online", CPU: .05, MaxCPU: 4, MaxMem: 2 << 30, Mem: 1 << 30, MaxDisk: 100 << 30, Disk: 25 << 30, Uptime: 7200}
+			}
+			json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{"data": nodes})
+		case strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/status"):
+			cookie, err := r.Cookie("PVEAuthCookie")
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Error("status missing synthetic session")
+				w.WriteHeader(401)
+				return
+			}
+			if cookie.Value == "synthetic-session-1" {
+				if rejectedStatus.Add(1) == count {
+					close(allOldReads)
+				}
+				select {
+				case <-allOldReads:
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return
+				}
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+				fmt.Fprint(w, `{"message":"synthetic expired session"}`)
+				return
+			}
+			acceptedStatus.Add(1)
+			fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":{"cpu":0.05,"memory":{"total":2147483648,"used":536870912,"free":1073741824,"available":1610612736},"rootfs":{"total":107374182400,"used":26843545600,"free":80530636800},"uptime":7200,"loadavg":[0.1,0.1,0.1],"kversion":"fixture-kernel","pveversion":"pve-manager/9.2.21/fixture","cpuinfo":{"model":"Synthetic CPU","cores":4,"sockets":1,"mhz":"2000"}}}`)
+		case strings.Contains(r.URL.Path, "/agent/"):
+			agentCalls.Add(1)
+			t.Error("node recovery queued guest work")
+			w.WriteHeader(500)
+		default:
+			fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":[]}`) // ordinary network/apt inventory only
+		}
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+	client, err := proxmox.NewClient(proxmox.ClientConfig{Host: server.URL, User: "synthetic@pam", Password: "synthetic-password", Timeout: 5 * time.Second})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	rawNodes, err := client.GetNodes(ctx)
+	if err != nil || len(rawNodes) != count {
+		t.Fatalf("ordinary node discovery: %v", err)
+	}
+	instance := config.PVEInstance{Name: "session-fixture", Host: server.URL, IsCluster: true, ClusterName: "Session recovery"}
+	m := &Monitor{config: &config.Config{PVEInstances: []config.PVEInstance{instance}}, nodeLastOnline: make(map[string]time.Time)}
+	nodes, statuses, _ := m.pollPVENodesParallel(ctx, instance.Name, &instance, client, rawNodes, "healthy", nil, false)
+	if len(nodes) != count || len(statuses) != count || authCalls.Load() != 2 || rejectedStatus.Load() != count || acceptedStatus.Load() != count || agentCalls.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("node recovery counts nodes/statuses/auth/rejected/accepted/guest=%d/%d/%d/%d/%d/%d", len(nodes), len(statuses), authCalls.Load(), rejectedStatus.Load(), acceptedStatus.Load(), agentCalls.Load())
+	}
+	for _, node := range nodes {
+		if node.Status != "online" || node.ConnectionHealth != "healthy" || !node.Memory.HasKnownUsage() || node.Memory.Usage != 25 || node.Disk.Usage != 25 {
+			t.Fatalf("session recovery lost trusted ordinary fields: %+v", node)
+		}
+	}
+	registry := unifiedresources.NewRegistry(nil)
+	registry.IngestSnapshot(models.StateSnapshot{Nodes: nodes})
+	resources, _ := convertPresentationResourcesForBroadcast(registry.ListForPresentation())
+	if len(resources) != count {
+		t.Fatal("node projection lost recovered nodes")
+	}
+	for _, resource := range resources {
+		if resource.Memory == nil || resource.Memory.Current != 25 || resource.CPU == nil || resource.CPU.Current != 5 {
+			t.Fatalf("rendered projection changed cache-aware memory/CPU: %+v", resource)
+		}
+	}
+	payload, err := json.Marshal(map[string]any{"resources": resources, "authentications": authCalls.Load(), "rejectedStatusReads": rejectedStatus.Load(), "acceptedStatusReads": acceptedStatus.Load(), "guestCommands": agentCalls.Load()})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Logf("PULSE_SESSION_RECOVERY_JSON=%s", payload)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/proxmox/auth_session_concurrency_test.go b/pkg/proxmox/auth_session_concurrency_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cd83e654ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/proxmox/auth_session_concurrency_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+package proxmox
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// All reads have already left with the same rejected session before renewal
+// can start. Late 401s must reuse the new session, not invalidate it again.
+// The fixture issues synthetic tickets only and never queues guest work.
+func TestClientSessionConcurrent401(t *testing.T) {
+	const readers = 16
+	var authentications, oldRequests, newRequests, mismatchedPairs atomic.Int32
+	oldArrived := make(chan struct{})
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/access/ticket") {
+			n := authentications.Add(1)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"data":{"ticket":"session-%d","CSRFPreventionToken":"csrf-%d"}}`, n, n)
+			return
+		}
+		cookie, err := r.Cookie("PVEAuthCookie")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error("request missing synthetic session")
+			w.WriteHeader(401)
+			return
+		}
+		if cookie.Value == "session-1" {
+			if oldRequests.Add(1) == readers {
+				close(oldArrived)
+			}
+			select {
+			case <-oldArrived:
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			}
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+			fmt.Fprint(w, `{"message":"synthetic session expired"}`)
+			return
+		}
+		if r.Method != http.MethodGet {
+			n := strings.TrimPrefix(cookie.Value, "session-")
+			if r.Header.Get("CSRFPreventionToken") != "csrf-"+n {
+				mismatchedPairs.Add(1)
+				w.WriteHeader(403)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		newRequests.Add(1)
+		fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":[{"node":"session-safe-node","status":"online","cpu":0.05,"maxcpu":4,"mem":268435456,"maxmem":2147483648}]}`)
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+	c, err := NewClient(ClientConfig{Host: server.URL, User: "synthetic@pam", Password: "synthetic-password", Timeout: 5 * time.Second})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.httpClient.CloseIdleConnections()
+	errors := make(chan error, readers)
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i := 0; i < readers; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			nodes, err := c.GetNodes(ctx)
+			if err == nil && (len(nodes) != 1 || nodes[0].Node != "session-safe-node" || nodes[0].Status != "online") {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("renewed session lost ordinary node result")
+			}
+			errors <- err
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	close(errors)
+	for err := range errors {
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}
+	// Check ticket/CSRF pairing through the same production request path.
+	for i := 0; i < readers; i++ {
+		resp, err := c.request(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/synthetic-read", nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			continue
+		}
+		_, err = readResponseBodyLimited(resp.Body)
+		resp.Body.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if got := authentications.Load(); got != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("session-renewal stampede: authentications=%d, want initial plus one renewal", got)
+	}
+	if oldRequests.Load() != readers || newRequests.Load() != 2*readers || mismatchedPairs.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("old/new/pair-mismatch=%d/%d/%d, want %d/%d/0", oldRequests.Load(), newRequests.Load(), mismatchedPairs.Load(), readers, 2*readers)
+	}
+	t.Log("ordinary reads=" + strconv.Itoa(readers) + "; one shared renewal required; coherent ticket/CSRF pairs checked")
+}
+
+// Done signals the exact point at which a caller joins a pending renewal.
+// There is no sleep or production-only instrumentation in these controls.
+type authJoinContext struct {
+	context.Context
+	joined chan struct{}
+	once   sync.Once
+}
+
+func (c *authJoinContext) Done() <-chan struct{} {
+	c.once.Do(func() { close(c.joined) })
+	return c.Context.Done()
+}
+
+func awaitSessionSignal(t *testing.T, signal <-chan struct{}) {
+	t.Helper()
+	select {
+	case <-signal:
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("session fixture barrier did not complete")
+	}
+}
+
+func expireSessionFixture(c *Client) {
+	c.authMu.Lock()
+	c.auth.expiresAt = time.Now().Add(-time.Hour)
+	c.authMu.Unlock()
+}
+
+func TestClientSessionConcurrentExpiryAndFailureRecovery(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, failRenewal := range []bool{false, true} {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("failure=%t", failRenewal), func(t *testing.T) {
+			const readers = 8
+			entered, finish := make(chan struct{}), make(chan struct{})
+			var authCalls, apiCalls atomic.Int32
+			var fail atomic.Bool
+			fail.Store(failRenewal)
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+			defer cancel()
+			server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+				if strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/access/ticket") {
+					n := authCalls.Add(1)
+					if n == 2 {
+						close(entered)
+						select {
+						case <-finish:
+						case <-ctx.Done():
+							return
+						}
+						if fail.Load() {
+							w.WriteHeader(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+							fmt.Fprint(w, "synthetic renewal unavailable")
+							return
+						}
+					}
+					fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"data":{"ticket":"session-%d","CSRFPreventionToken":"csrf-%d"}}`, n, n)
+					return
+				}
+				apiCalls.Add(1)
+				fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":[{"node":"session-safe-node","status":"online"}]}`)
+			}))
+			defer server.Close()
+			c, err := NewClient(ClientConfig{Host: server.URL, User: "synthetic@pam", Password: "synthetic-password", Timeout: 5 * time.Second})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			defer c.httpClient.CloseIdleConnections()
+			expireSessionFixture(c)
+			done := make(chan error, readers)
+			go func() { _, err := c.GetNodes(ctx); done <- err }()
+			awaitSessionSignal(t, entered)
+			for i := 1; i < readers; i++ {
+				joined := &authJoinContext{Context: ctx, joined: make(chan struct{})}
+				go func() { _, err := c.GetNodes(joined); done <- err }()
+				awaitSessionSignal(t, joined.joined)
+			}
+			if authCalls.Load() != 2 || apiCalls.Load() != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("expired readers bypassed shared renewal: auth/api=%d/%d", authCalls.Load(), apiCalls.Load())
+			}
+			close(finish)
+			for i := 0; i < readers; i++ {
+				err := <-done
+				if failRenewal {
+					if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "synthetic renewal unavailable") {
+						t.Errorf("renewal failure not shared: %v", err)
+					}
+				} else if err != nil {
+					t.Error(err)
+				}
+			}
+			if authCalls.Load() != 2 {
+				t.Error("joined callers retried completed renewal")
+			}
+			if failRenewal {
+				snapshot, _ := c.authSnapshot()
+				if snapshot.ticket != "session-1" || snapshot.csrfToken != "csrf-1" || !snapshot.expiresAt.Before(time.Now()) {
+					t.Error("failed renewal published or refreshed the old session")
+				}
+				if apiCalls.Load() != 0 {
+					t.Error("failed authentication admitted API reads")
+				}
+				// A new ordinary call may recover; the failed attempt is not
+				// automatically replayed by any of its joined callers.
+				fail.Store(false)
+				if nodes, err := c.GetNodes(ctx); err != nil || len(nodes) != 1 {
+					t.Errorf("ordinary later recovery failed: %v", err)
+				}
+				if authCalls.Load() != 3 || apiCalls.Load() != 1 {
+					t.Errorf("later recovery counts auth/api=%d/%d", authCalls.Load(), apiCalls.Load())
+				}
+			} else if apiCalls.Load() != readers {
+				t.Errorf("renewed session lost %d reads", readers-apiCalls.Load())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSessionRenewalWaiterCancellation(t *testing.T) {
+	entered, finish := make(chan struct{}), make(chan struct{})
+	var authCalls, apiCalls atomic.Int32
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/access/ticket") {
+			n := authCalls.Add(1)
+			if n == 2 {
+				close(entered)
+				select {
+				case <-finish:
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return
+				}
+			}
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"data":{"ticket":"session-%d","CSRFPreventionToken":"csrf-%d"}}`, n, n)
+			return
+		}
+		apiCalls.Add(1)
+		fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":[]}`)
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+	c, err := NewClient(ClientConfig{Host: server.URL, User: "synthetic@pam", Password: "synthetic-password", Timeout: 5 * time.Second})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.httpClient.CloseIdleConnections()
+	expireSessionFixture(c)
+	owner := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { _, err := c.GetNodes(ctx); owner <- err }()
+	awaitSessionSignal(t, entered)
+	waiterCtx, cancelWaiter := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	defer cancelWaiter()
+	joined := &authJoinContext{Context: waiterCtx, joined: make(chan struct{})}
+	waiter := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() { _, err := c.GetNodes(joined); waiter <- err }()
+	awaitSessionSignal(t, joined.joined)
+	cancelWaiter()
+	select {
+	case err := <-waiter:
+		if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+			t.Errorf("cancelled waiter result: %v", err)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("cancelled waiter remained blocked behind another caller's renewal")
+	}
+	if authCalls.Load() != 2 || apiCalls.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Error("cancelled waiter replayed renewal or admitted a read")
+	}
+	select {
+	case err := <-owner:
+		t.Fatalf("waiter cancellation ended the owner's renewal: %v", err)
+	default:
+	}
+	close(finish)
+	if err := <-owner; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := c.GetNodes(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if authCalls.Load() != 2 || apiCalls.Load() != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("owner/later recovery counts auth/api=%d/%d", authCalls.Load(), apiCalls.Load())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSessionTokenAuthDoesNotRenew(t *testing.T) {
+	var authCalls, apiCalls atomic.Int32
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, "/access/ticket") {
+			authCalls.Add(1)
+			w.WriteHeader(500)
+			return
+		}
+		apiCalls.Add(1)
+		if r.Header.Get("Authorization") != "PVEAPIToken=synthetic@pve!pulse=synthetic-token" || r.Header.Get("Cookie") != "" || r.Header.Get("CSRFPreventionToken") != "" {
+			t.Error("token read acquired session headers")
+		}
+		fmt.Fprint(w, `{"data":[]}`)
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+	c, err := NewClient(ClientConfig{Host: server.URL, TokenName: "synthetic@pve!pulse", TokenValue: "synthetic-token", Password: "unused-synthetic-password", Timeout: time.Second})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.httpClient.CloseIdleConnections()
+	done := make(chan error, 16)
+	for i := 0; i < 16; i++ {
+		go func() { _, err := c.GetNodes(context.Background()); done <- err }()
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < 16; i++ {
+		if err := <-done; err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if authCalls.Load() != 0 || apiCalls.Load() != 16 {
+		t.Errorf("token auth/API calls=%d/%d", authCalls.Load(), apiCalls.Load())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/proxmox/client.go b/pkg/proxmox/client.go
index 47f6a75a43..9613d2cca2 100644
--- a/pkg/proxmox/client.go
+++ b/pkg/proxmox/client.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 	"unicode"
 
@@ -255,6 +256,24 @@ type Client struct {
 	httpClient *http.Client
 	auth       auth
 	config     ClientConfig
+
+	// A polling client is shared by concurrent node and guest reads. Publish
+	// each ticket/CSRF/expiry tuple atomically and share only session renewal,
+	// not the subsequent API requests or their caller-owned cancellation.
+	authMu         sync.Mutex
+	authGeneration uint64
+	authInFlight   *authRefresh
+}
+
+type authRefresh struct {
+	done chan struct{}
+	err  error
+}
+
+func (c *Client) authSnapshot() (auth, uint64) {
+	c.authMu.Lock()
+	defer c.authMu.Unlock()
+	return c.auth, c.authGeneration
 }
 
 func (c *Client) apiBaseURL() (*url.URL, error) {
@@ -398,16 +417,47 @@ func NewClient(cfg ClientConfig) (*Client, error) {
 
 // authenticate performs password-based authentication
 func (c *Client) authenticate(ctx context.Context) error {
-	username := c.auth.user + "@" + c.auth.realm
-	password := c.config.Password
+	return c.renewAuthentication(ctx, nil)
+}
 
-	if err := c.authenticateJSON(ctx, username, password); err == nil {
-		return nil
-	} else if shouldFallbackToForm(err) {
-		return c.authenticateForm(ctx, username, password)
-	} else {
+// expected binds expiry or a 401 to the session actually used by that read.
+// A late rejection of an old ticket cannot trigger another renewal after a
+// concurrent request has already replaced it. Explicit authentication (nil)
+// still owns the existing JSON/form fallback and failed-attempt behaviour.
+func (c *Client) renewAuthentication(ctx context.Context, expected *uint64) error {
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	c.authMu.Lock()
+	if expected != nil && c.authGeneration != *expected {
+		c.authMu.Unlock()
+		return nil
+	}
+	if pending := c.authInFlight; pending != nil {
+		c.authMu.Unlock()
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		case <-pending.done:
+			return pending.err
+		}
+	}
+	pending := &authRefresh{done: make(chan struct{})}
+	c.authInFlight = pending
+	username := c.auth.user + "@" + c.auth.realm
+	c.authMu.Unlock()
+
+	password := c.config.Password
+	err := c.authenticateJSON(ctx, username, password)
+	if shouldFallbackToForm(err) {
+		err = c.authenticateForm(ctx, username, password)
+	}
+	c.authMu.Lock()
+	pending.err = err
+	c.authInFlight = nil
+	close(pending.done)
+	c.authMu.Unlock()
+	return err
 }
 
 func (c *Client) authenticateJSON(ctx context.Context, username, password string) error {
@@ -488,9 +538,12 @@ func (c *Client) handleAuthResponse(resp *http.Response) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	c.authMu.Lock()
 	c.auth.ticket = result.Data.Ticket
 	c.auth.csrfToken = result.Data.CSRFPreventionToken
 	c.auth.expiresAt = time.Now().Add(2 * time.Hour) // PVE tickets expire after 2 hours
+	c.authGeneration++
+	c.authMu.Unlock()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -528,10 +581,12 @@ func (c *Client) requestWithRetry(ctx context.Context, method, path string, data
 
 func (c *Client) requestWithRetryUsingClient(ctx context.Context, method, path string, data url.Values, retriedAfter401 bool, httpClient *http.Client) (*http.Response, error) {
 	// Re-authenticate if needed
-	if c.config.Password != "" && c.auth.tokenName == "" && time.Now().After(c.auth.expiresAt) {
-		if err := c.authenticate(ctx); err != nil {
+	auth, generation := c.authSnapshot()
+	if c.config.Password != "" && auth.tokenName == "" && time.Now().After(auth.expiresAt) {
+		if err := c.renewAuthentication(ctx, &generation); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("re-authentication failed: %w", err)
 		}
+		auth, generation = c.authSnapshot()
 	}
 
 	var body io.Reader
@@ -554,23 +609,23 @@ func (c *Client) requestWithRetryUsingClient(ctx context.Context, method, path s
 	}
 
 	// Set authentication
-	if c.auth.tokenName != "" && c.auth.tokenValue != "" {
+	if auth.tokenName != "" && auth.tokenValue != "" {
 		// API token authentication
 		authHeader := fmt.Sprintf("PVEAPIToken=%s@%s!%s=%s",
-			c.auth.user, c.auth.realm, c.auth.tokenName, c.auth.tokenValue)
+			auth.user, auth.realm, auth.tokenName, auth.tokenValue)
 		req.Header.Set("Authorization", authHeader)
 		// NEVER log the actual token value - only log that we're using token auth
 		maskedHeader := fmt.Sprintf("PVEAPIToken=%s@%s!%s=***",
-			c.auth.user, c.auth.realm, c.auth.tokenName)
+			auth.user, auth.realm, auth.tokenName)
 		log.Debug().
 			Str("authHeader", maskedHeader).
 			Str("url", req.URL.String()).
 			Msg("Setting API token authentication")
-	} else if c.auth.ticket != "" {
+	} else if auth.ticket != "" {
 		// Ticket authentication
-		req.Header.Set("Cookie", "PVEAuthCookie="+c.auth.ticket)
-		if method != "GET" && c.auth.csrfToken != "" {
-			req.Header.Set("CSRFPreventionToken", c.auth.csrfToken)
+		req.Header.Set("Cookie", "PVEAuthCookie="+auth.ticket)
+		if method != "GET" && auth.csrfToken != "" {
+			req.Header.Set("CSRFPreventionToken", auth.csrfToken)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -589,8 +644,8 @@ func (c *Client) requestWithRetryUsingClient(ctx context.Context, method, path s
 
 		// Password sessions can be invalidated server-side before local expiry.
 		// Retry once after forcing re-authentication on 401.
-		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusUnauthorized && !retriedAfter401 && c.config.Password != "" && c.auth.tokenName == "" {
-			if err := c.authenticate(ctx); err != nil {
+		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusUnauthorized && !retriedAfter401 && c.config.Password != "" && auth.tokenName == "" {
+			if err := c.renewAuthentication(ctx, &generation); err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("re-authentication failed after 401: %w", err)
 			}
 			return c.requestWithRetryUsingClient(ctx, method, path, data, true, httpClient)
@@ -600,7 +655,7 @@ func (c *Client) requestWithRetryUsingClient(ctx context.Context, method, path s
 		var apiErr error
 		if resp.StatusCode == 403 && c.config.TokenName != "" {
 			// Special case for 403 with API token - this is usually a permission issue
-			apiErr = fmt.Errorf("API error 403 (Forbidden): The API token does not have sufficient permissions. Note: In Proxmox GUI, permissions must be set on the USER (not just the token). Please verify the user '%s@%s' has the required permissions", c.auth.user, c.auth.realm)
+			apiErr = fmt.Errorf("API error 403 (Forbidden): The API token does not have sufficient permissions. Note: In Proxmox GUI, permissions must be set on the USER (not just the token). Please verify the user '%s@%s' has the required permissions", auth.user, auth.realm)
 		} else if resp.StatusCode == 595 {
 			// 595 can mean authentication failed OR trying to access an offline node in a cluster
 			// Check if this is a node-specific endpoint