diff --git a/lib/http/request.js b/lib/http/request.js
index 3e6cc4e5..db74ef01 100644
--- a/lib/http/request.js
+++ b/lib/http/request.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ req.logIn = function(user, options, done) {
     if (typeof done != 'function') { throw new Error('req#login requires a callback function'); }
     
     var self = this;
-    this._passport.instance._sm.logIn(this, user, function(err) {
+    this.sessionManager.logIn(this, user, function(err) {
       if (err) { self[property] = null; return done(err); }
       done();
     });
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ req.logOut = function() {
   
   this[property] = null;
   if (this._passport) {
-    this._passport.instance._sm.logOut(this);
+    this.sessionManager.logOut(this);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/middleware/initialize.js b/lib/middleware/initialize.js
index 724982b6..eee25ad7 100644
--- a/lib/middleware/initialize.js
+++ b/lib/middleware/initialize.js
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ module.exports = function initialize(passport, options) {
     req.isAuthenticated = IncomingMessageExt.isAuthenticated;
     req.isUnauthenticated = IncomingMessageExt.isUnauthenticated;
     
+    // expose session manager
+    req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
+    
     if (options.userProperty) {
       req._userProperty = options.userProperty;
     }
diff --git a/test/http/request.test.js b/test/http/request.test.js
index 61f8f20e..62b230f8 100644
--- a/test/http/request.test.js
+++ b/test/http/request.test.js
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ describe('http.ServerRequest', function() {
       req.isUnauthenticated = request.isUnauthenticated;
       req._passport = {};
       req._passport.instance = passport;
+      req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
       req.session = {};
       
       var error;
@@ -246,6 +247,7 @@ describe('http.ServerRequest', function() {
       req.isUnauthenticated = request.isUnauthenticated;
       req._passport = {};
       req._passport.instance = passport;
+      req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
       req.session = {};
       req._userProperty = 'currentUser';
       
@@ -296,6 +298,7 @@ describe('http.ServerRequest', function() {
       req.isUnauthenticated = request.isUnauthenticated;
       req._passport = {};
       req._passport.instance = passport;
+      req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
       req.session = {};
       req.session['passport'] = {};
       
@@ -378,6 +381,7 @@ describe('http.ServerRequest', function() {
       req.user = { id: '1', username: 'root' };
       req._passport = {};
       req._passport.instance = passport;
+      req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
       req.session = {};
       req.session['passport'] = {};
       req.session['passport'].user = '1';
@@ -409,6 +413,7 @@ describe('http.ServerRequest', function() {
       req._passport = {};
       req._passport.instance = passport;
       req._userProperty = 'currentUser';
+      req.sessionManager = passport._sm;
       req.session = {};
       req.session['passport'] = {};
       req.session['passport'].user = '1';