diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/authorise.py b/cylc/uiserver/authorise.py
index 415913b7..57aa81b4 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/authorise.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/authorise.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 from traitlets.config.loader import LazyConfigValue
 
 from cylc.uiserver.schema import UISMutations
+from cylc.uiserver.utils import is_bearer_token_authenticated
 
 
 class CylcAuthorizer(Authorizer):
@@ -82,6 +83,11 @@ def is_authorized(self, handler, user, action, resource) -> bool:
         Note that Cylc uses its own authorization system (which is locked-down
         by default) and is not affected by this policy.
         """
+        if is_bearer_token_authenticated(handler):
+            # this session is authenticated by a token or password NOT by
+            # Jupyter Hub -> the bearer of the token has full permissions
+            return True
+
         # the username of the user running this server
         # (used for authorzation purposes)
         me = getuser()
diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/handlers.py b/cylc/uiserver/handlers.py
index 1ec87421..9b5c4b00 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/handlers.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/handlers.py
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@
 from graphql import get_default_backend
 from graphql_ws.constants import GRAPHQL_WS
 from jupyter_server.base.handlers import JupyterHandler
-from jupyter_server.auth.identity import (
-    User as JPSUser,
-    IdentityProvider as JPSIdentityProvider,
-    PasswordIdentityProvider,
-)
 from tornado import web, websocket
 from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
 
@@ -38,12 +33,14 @@
 )
 
 from cylc.uiserver.authorise import Authorization, AuthorizationMiddleware
+from cylc.uiserver.utils import is_bearer_token_authenticated
 from cylc.uiserver.websockets import authenticated as websockets_authenticated
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from cylc.uiserver.resolvers import Resolvers
     from cylc.uiserver.websockets.tornado import TornadoSubscriptionServer
     from graphql.execution import ExecutionResult
+    from jupyter_server.auth.identity import User as JPSUser
 
 
 ME = getpass.getuser()
@@ -66,7 +63,7 @@ def _inner(
         **kwargs,
     ):
         nonlocal fun
-        user: JPSUser = handler.current_user
+        user: 'JPSUser' = handler.current_user
 
         if not user or not user.username:
             # the user is only truthy if they have authenticated successfully
@@ -76,7 +73,7 @@ def _inner(
             # if authentication is turned off we don't want to work with this
             raise web.HTTPError(403, reason='authorization insufficient')
 
-        if is_token_authenticated(handler):
+        if is_bearer_token_authenticated(handler):
             # token or password authenticated, the bearer of the token or
             # password has full control
             pass
@@ -90,20 +87,6 @@ def _inner(
     return _inner
 
 
-def is_token_authenticated(handler: 'CylcAppHandler') -> bool:
-    """Returns True if this request is bearer token authenticated.
-
-    E.G. The default single-user token-based authenticated.
-
-    In these cases the bearer of the token is awarded full privileges.
-    """
-    identity_provider: JPSIdentityProvider = (
-        handler.serverapp.identity_provider  # type: ignore[union-attr]
-    )
-    return identity_provider.__class__ == PasswordIdentityProvider
-    # NOTE: not using isinstance to narrow this down to just the one class
-
-
 def _authorise(
     handler: 'CylcAppHandler',
     username: str
@@ -139,7 +122,7 @@ def get_user_info(handler: 'CylcAppHandler'):
     If the handler is token authenticated, then we return the username of the
     account that this server instance is running under.
     """
-    if is_token_authenticated(handler):
+    if is_bearer_token_authenticated(handler):
         # the bearer of the token has full privileges
         return {'name': ME, 'initials': get_initials(ME), 'username': ME}
     else:
diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/tests/conftest.py b/cylc/uiserver/tests/conftest.py
index bb1d512a..ee3451d2 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/tests/conftest.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def mock_authentication_yossarian(monkeypatch):
         user,
     )
     monkeypatch.setattr(
-        'cylc.uiserver.handlers.is_token_authenticated',
+        'cylc.uiserver.handlers.is_bearer_token_authenticated',
         lambda x: True,
     )
 
diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/utils.py b/cylc/uiserver/utils.py
index 41a90521..98f9cb66 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/utils.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,35 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+from jupyter_server.auth.identity import PasswordIdentityProvider
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from cylc.uiserver.handlers import CylcAppHandler
+    from jupyter_server.auth.identity import (
+        IdentityProvider as JPSIdentityProvider,
+    )
+
+
+def is_bearer_token_authenticated(handler: 'CylcAppHandler') -> bool:
+    """Returns True if this request is bearer token authenticated.
+
+    Bearer tokens, e.g. tokens (?token=1234) and passwords, are short pieces of
+    text that are used for authentication. These can be used in single-user
+    mode (i.e. "cylc gui"). In these cases the bearer of the token is awarded
+    full privileges.
+
+    In multi-user mode, we have more advanced authentication based on an
+    external service which allows us to implement fine-grained authorisation.
+    """
+    identity_provider: 'JPSIdentityProvider' = (
+        handler.serverapp.identity_provider  # type: ignore[union-attr]
+    )
+    return identity_provider.__class__ == PasswordIdentityProvider
+    # NOTE: not using isinstance to narrow this down to just the one class
+
+
 def _repr(value):
     if isinstance(value, dict):
         return '<dict>'