diff --git a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/request/RequestContext.java b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/request/RequestContext.java
index 0ef7804d44..6b07af078d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/request/RequestContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/request/RequestContext.java
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public RequestContext(
     this.rerankingCredentials =
         HeaderBasedRerankingKeyResolver.resolveRerankingKey(routingContext)
             .map(s -> new RerankingCredentials(tenant, normalizeOptionalString(s)))
-            .orElseGet(() -> new RerankingCredentials(tenant, ""));
+            .orElseGet(() -> new RerankingCredentials(tenant, authToken));
   }
 
   private static String generateRequestId() {