diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/HomePageController.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/HomePageController.java
index 7ec415c25..02bde0c12 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/HomePageController.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/HomePageController.java
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@ public class HomePageController extends FreemarkerHttpServlet {
     @Override
     protected ResponseValues processRequest(VitroRequest vreq) { 
         
-        vreq.getSession(false); // enables login directly from home page
+        // This is a temporary hack to get the login form to work directly from the
+        // home page, without redirecting to the dedicated login page (NIHVIVO-1296). 
+        // We should either eliminate the need for this, or if it cannot be eliminated, 
+        // move it to the  login widget controller so that any page that includes the 
+        // login widget will also get the necessary code.
+        vreq.getSession(false); 
         
         Map<String, Object> body = new HashMap<String, Object>();        
         // Add home page data to body here