diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/AbstractAuthenticationManager.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/AbstractAuthenticationManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c56aa63d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/AbstractAuthenticationManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/* Copyright 2004 Acegi Technology Pty Limited
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package net.sf.acegisecurity;
+
+/**
+ * An abstract implementation of the {@link AuthenticationManager}.
+ *
+ * @author Wesley Hall
+ * @version $Id$
+ */
+public abstract class AbstractAuthenticationManager
+    implements AuthenticationManager {
+    //~ Methods ================================================================
+
+    /**
+     * <p>
+     * An implementation of the <code>authenticate</code> method that calls the
+     * abstract method <code>doAuthenticatation</code> to do its work.
+     * </p>
+     * 
+     * <p>
+     * If doAuthenticate throws an <code>AuthenticationException</code> then
+     * the exception is populated with the failed <code>Authentication</code>
+     * object that failed.
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param authentication the authentication request object
+     *
+     * @return a fully authenticated object including credentials
+     *
+     * @throws AuthenticationException if authentication fails
+     */
+    public final Authentication authenticate(Authentication authentication)
+        throws AuthenticationException {
+        try {
+            return doAuthentication(authentication);
+        } catch (AuthenticationException e) {
+            e.setAuthentication(authentication);
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * <p>
+     * Concrete implementations of this class override this method to provide
+     * the authentication service.
+     * </p>
+     * 
+     * <p>
+     * The contract for this method is documented in the {@link
+     * AuthenticationManager#authenticate(net.sf.acegisecurity.Authentication)}.
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param authentication the authentication request object
+     *
+     * @return a fully authenticated object including credentials
+     *
+     * @throws AuthenticationException if authentication fails
+     */
+    protected abstract Authentication doAuthentication(
+        Authentication authentication) throws AuthenticationException;
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ProviderManager.java b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ProviderManager.java
index fa21ba0d6f..f1e9b75472 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ProviderManager.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/acegisecurity/providers/ProviderManager.java
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
 
 package net.sf.acegisecurity.providers;
 
+import net.sf.acegisecurity.AbstractAuthenticationManager;
 import net.sf.acegisecurity.Authentication;
 import net.sf.acegisecurity.AuthenticationException;
-import net.sf.acegisecurity.AuthenticationManager;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
@@ -29,13 +29,15 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 
 /**
- * Iterates an {@link Authentication} request through a list of  {@link
+ * Iterates an {@link Authentication} request through a list of {@link
  * AuthenticationProvider}s.
  *
  * @author Ben Alex
+ * @author Wesley Hall
  * @version $Id$
  */
-public class ProviderManager implements InitializingBean, AuthenticationManager {
+public class ProviderManager extends AbstractAuthenticationManager
+    implements InitializingBean {
     //~ Static fields/initializers =============================================
 
     private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(ProviderManager.class);
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ public class ProviderManager implements InitializingBean, AuthenticationManager
      * @throws AuthenticationException if authentication fails.
      * @throws ProviderNotFoundException DOCUMENT ME!
      */
-    public Authentication authenticate(Authentication authentication)
+    public Authentication doAuthentication(Authentication authentication)
         throws AuthenticationException {
         Iterator iter = providers.iterator();
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/MockAuthenticationManager.java b/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/MockAuthenticationManager.java
index d781f55c6a..54f3bd8cd4 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/MockAuthenticationManager.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/acegisecurity/MockAuthenticationManager.java
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ package net.sf.acegisecurity;
  * <code>grantAccess</code> is set to <code>true</code>.
  *
  * @author Ben Alex
+ * @author Wesley Hall
  * @version $Id$
  */
-public class MockAuthenticationManager implements AuthenticationManager {
+public class MockAuthenticationManager extends AbstractAuthenticationManager {
     //~ Instance fields ========================================================
 
     private boolean grantAccess = true;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ public class MockAuthenticationManager implements AuthenticationManager {
 
     //~ Methods ================================================================
 
-    public Authentication authenticate(Authentication authentication)
+    public Authentication doAuthentication(Authentication authentication)
         throws AuthenticationException {
         if (grantAccess) {
             return authentication;