diff --git a/quickshell/Modals/PolkitAuthContent.qml b/quickshell/Modals/PolkitAuthContent.qml
index a2e2495f1..0d4941d40 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modals/PolkitAuthContent.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modals/PolkitAuthContent.qml
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ FocusScope {
             font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSizeSmall
             color: Theme.error
             width: parent.width
-            visible: root.currentFlow?.failed ?? false
+            visible: PolkitService.authFailed
         }
 
         Item {
diff --git a/quickshell/Services/PolkitService.qml b/quickshell/Services/PolkitService.qml
index de59bac97..d7b366d22 100644
--- a/quickshell/Services/PolkitService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Services/PolkitService.qml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ pragma ComponentBehavior: Bound
 
 import QtQuick
 import Quickshell
+import qs.Services
 
 Singleton {
     id: root
@@ -13,6 +14,60 @@ Singleton {
     readonly property bool polkitAvailable: !disablePolkitIntegration
     readonly property var agent: polkitAgentLoader.item
 
+    property bool authFailed: false
+    property bool _switchingIdentity: false
+
+    function currentUserIdentity(flow) {
+        const identities = flow?.identities;
+        if (!identities || identities.length < 2)
+            return null;
+        const uid = UserInfoService.uid;
+        const username = Quickshell.env("USER");
+        for (let i = 0; i < identities.length; i++) {
+            const identity = identities[i];
+            if (identity.isGroup)
+                continue;
+            if (uid >= 0 && identity.id === uid)
+                return identity;
+            if (username && identity.string === username)
+                return identity;
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    function selectCurrentUserIdentity() {
+        const flow = agent?.flow;
+        const identity = currentUserIdentity(flow);
+        if (!identity || identity === flow.selectedIdentity)
+            return;
+        log.info(`Selecting identity ${identity.string} over default ${flow.selectedIdentity?.string}`);
+        // selectedIdentity assignment cancels the running session, which polkit
+        // reports as a synchronous auth failure; swallow it via _switchingIdentity
+        _switchingIdentity = true;
+        flow.selectedIdentity = identity;
+        _switchingIdentity = false;
+    }
+
+    Connections {
+        target: root.agent
+        enabled: root.agent !== null
+
+        function onAuthenticationRequestStarted() {
+            root.authFailed = false;
+            root.selectCurrentUserIdentity();
+        }
+    }
+
+    Connections {
+        target: root.agent?.flow ?? null
+
+        function onAuthenticationFailed() {
+            if (root._switchingIdentity)
+                return;
+            root.authFailed = true;
+        }
+    }
+
     Loader {
         id: polkitAgentLoader
         active: root.polkitAvailable
diff --git a/quickshell/Services/UserInfoService.qml b/quickshell/Services/UserInfoService.qml
index 8378e01a2..9eb53ecf8 100644
--- a/quickshell/Services/UserInfoService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Services/UserInfoService.qml
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ Singleton {
     property string fullName: ""
     property string profilePicture: ""
     property string hostname: ""
+    property int uid: -1
     property bool profileAvailable: false
 
     function getUserInfo() {
-        Proc.runCommand("userInfo", ["sh", "-c", "echo \"$USER|$(getent passwd $USER | cut -d: -f5 | cut -d, -f1)|$(hostname)\""], (output, exitCode) => {
+        Proc.runCommand("userInfo", ["sh", "-c", "echo \"$USER|$(getent passwd $USER | cut -d: -f5 | cut -d, -f1)|$(hostname)|$(id -u)\""], (output, exitCode) => {
             if (exitCode !== 0) {
                 root.username = "User";
                 root.fullName = "User";
@@ -28,6 +29,10 @@ Singleton {
                 root.fullName = parts[1] || parts[0] || "";
                 root.hostname = parts[2] || "";
             }
+            if (parts.length >= 4) {
+                const parsedUid = parseInt(parts[3], 10);
+                root.uid = isNaN(parsedUid) ? -1 : parsedUid;
+            }
         }, 0);
     }