diff --git a/ansible_base/resource_registry/apps.py b/ansible_base/resource_registry/apps.py
index 0def881f6..2162b8912 100644
--- a/ansible_base/resource_registry/apps.py
+++ b/ansible_base/resource_registry/apps.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import ansible_base.lib.checks  # noqa: F401 - register checks
 from ansible_base.lib.utils.db import ensure_transaction, migrations_are_complete
+from ansible_base.resource_registry.utils.settings import resource_server_defined
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('ansible_base.resource_registry.apps')
 
@@ -101,11 +102,10 @@ def proxies_of_model(cls):
 
 def _should_reverse_sync():
     enabled = getattr(settings, 'RESOURCE_SERVER_SYNC_ENABLED', False)
-    resource_server_defined = bool(getattr(settings, 'RESOURCE_SERVER', {}).get('URL', ''))
-    if enabled and (not resource_server_defined):
+    if enabled and (not resource_server_defined()):
         logger.error("RESOURCE_SERVER is not configured. Reverse sync will not be enabled.")
         enabled = False
-    if enabled and resource_server_defined and ('SECRET_KEY' not in settings.RESOURCE_SERVER or not settings.RESOURCE_SERVER['SECRET_KEY']):
+    if enabled and resource_server_defined() and ('SECRET_KEY' not in settings.RESOURCE_SERVER or not settings.RESOURCE_SERVER['SECRET_KEY']):
         logger.error("RESOURCE_SERVER['SECRET_KEY'] is not configured. Reverse sync will not be enabled.")
         enabled = False
     return enabled
diff --git a/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/service_backed_sso_pipeline.py b/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/service_backed_sso_pipeline.py
index be3a090f8..06a80ab6b 100644
--- a/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/service_backed_sso_pipeline.py
+++ b/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/service_backed_sso_pipeline.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from ansible_base.resource_registry.resource_server import get_resource_server_config
 from ansible_base.resource_registry.utils.auth_code import get_user_auth_code
+from ansible_base.resource_registry.utils.settings import resource_server_defined
 
 
 def redirect_to_resource_server(*args, social=None, user=None, **kwargs):
@@ -11,7 +12,9 @@ def redirect_to_resource_server(*args, social=None, user=None, **kwargs):
     """
 
     # Allow for disabling this pipeline without removing it from the settings.
-    if not getattr(settings, 'ENABLE_SERVICE_BACKED_SSO', False):
+    # If resource server is defined, also silently quit
+    # for ease of connected vs disconnected configs
+    if (not getattr(settings, 'ENABLE_SERVICE_BACKED_SSO', False)) or (not resource_server_defined()):
         return None
 
     oidc_alt_key = None
diff --git a/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/settings.py b/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95f4f0a9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible_base/resource_registry/utils/settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from django.conf import settings
+
+
+def resource_server_defined() -> bool:
+    return bool(getattr(settings, 'RESOURCE_SERVER', {}).get('URL', ''))