diff --git a/lib/middleware/authenticate.js b/lib/middleware/authenticate.js
index ccc9b2ac..00db36ae 100644
--- a/lib/middleware/authenticate.js
+++ b/lib/middleware/authenticate.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ var http = require('http')
  *
  *     passport.authenticate('twitter');
  *
- * @param {String|Array} name
+ * @param {String|Array|Object} name
  * @param {Object} options
  * @param {Function} callback
  * @return {Function}
@@ -182,7 +182,12 @@ module.exports = function authenticate(passport, name, options, callback) {
       // Get the strategy, which will be used as prototype from which to create
       // a new instance.  Action functions will then be bound to the strategy
       // within the context of the HTTP request/response pair.
-      var prototype = passport._strategy(layer);
+      var prototype ;
+      if( typeof layer === 'object'){
+        prototype = layer;
+      }else{
+        prototype = passport._strategy(layer);
+      }
       if (!prototype) { return next(new Error('Unknown authentication strategy "' + layer + '"')); }
     
       var strategy = Object.create(prototype);
diff --git a/test/authenticator.test.js b/test/authenticator.test.js
index fb7a1394..9911aa51 100644
--- a/test/authenticator.test.js
+++ b/test/authenticator.test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /* global describe, it, expect, before */
 /* jshint expr: true, sub: true */
 
-var Authenticator = require('../lib/authenticator');
+var Authenticator = require('../lib/authenticator'),
+    chai = require('chai');
 
 
 describe('Authenticator', function() {
@@ -52,7 +53,55 @@ describe('Authenticator', function() {
         expect(authenticator._strategies['default']).to.be.undefined;
       });
     });
-    
+
+    describe('with object strategy', function() {
+      function Strategy() {
+      }
+      Strategy.prototype.authenticate = function(req) {
+        var user = { id: '1', username: 'jaredhanson' };
+        this.success(user);
+      };
+
+      var passport = new Authenticator();
+
+      var request, error;
+
+      before(function(done) {
+        chai.connect.use(passport.authorize(new Strategy()))
+            .req(function(req) {
+              request = req;
+
+              req.logIn = function(user, options, done) {
+                this.user = user;
+                done();
+              };
+            })
+            .next(function(err) {
+              error = err;
+              done();
+            })
+            .dispatch();
+      });
+
+      it('should not error', function() {
+        expect(error).to.be.undefined;
+      });
+
+      it('should not set user', function() {
+        expect(request.user).to.be.undefined;
+      });
+
+      it('should set account', function() {
+        expect(request.account).to.be.an('object');
+        expect(request.account.id).to.equal('1');
+        expect(request.account.username).to.equal('jaredhanson');
+      });
+
+      it('should not set authInfo', function() {
+        expect(request.authInfo).to.be.undefined;
+      });
+    });
+
     it('should throw if lacking a name', function() {
       function Strategy() {
       }