Ahhhh ok so here is my confusion and need clarification: portal is a separate web application, and the web application with the portlets and servlets is a separate standalone web application. so when request.getUserPrincipal is called on just the standalone web app (not via portal), it will return null even if inside portal web application you get request.getUserPrincipal == logged in user Then, inside the portlet if you place the Principal into HttpSession.APPLICATION_SCOPE, will this object be propagated into the HttpSession of the standalone web application (one with the portlets and servlets)? Does Portal have access to the HttpSession object of the standalone web application? Thanks in advance Sohil View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3989329#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...