diff --git a/packages/next/src/utilities/auth.ts b/packages/next/src/utilities/auth.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a6eb82694..0000000000
--- a/packages/next/src/utilities/auth.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-import type { Payload, PayloadRequest } from 'payload/types'
-
-import { getAccessResults, getAuthenticatedUser, parseCookies } from 'payload/auth'
-
-type Args = {
-  headers: Request['headers']
-  payload: Payload
-}
-
-export const auth = async ({ headers, payload }: Args) => {
-  const cookies = parseCookies(headers)
-
-  const user = await getAuthenticatedUser({
-    cookies,
-    headers,
-    payload,
-  })
-
-  const permissions = await getAccessResults({
-    req: {
-      context: {},
-      headers,
-      i18n: undefined,
-      payload,
-      payloadAPI: 'REST',
-      t: undefined,
-      user,
-    } as PayloadRequest,
-  })
-
-  return {
-    cookies,
-    permissions,
-    user,
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/next/src/utilities/createPayloadRequest.ts b/packages/next/src/utilities/createPayloadRequest.ts
index 3bebd04e25..1d171d1a57 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/utilities/createPayloadRequest.ts
+++ b/packages/next/src/utilities/createPayloadRequest.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import type {
 
 import { initI18n } from '@payloadcms/translations'
 import { translations } from '@payloadcms/translations/api'
-import { getAuthenticatedUser } from 'payload/auth'
+import { executeAuthStrategies } from 'payload/auth'
 import { parseCookies } from 'payload/auth'
 import { getDataLoader } from 'payload/utilities'
 import qs from 'qs'
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export const createPayloadRequest = async ({
   if (data) req.json = () => Promise.resolve(data)
   req.payloadDataLoader = getDataLoader(req)
 
-  req.user = await getAuthenticatedUser({
+  req.user = await executeAuthStrategies({
     cookies,
     headers: req.headers,
     isGraphQL,
diff --git a/packages/next/src/utilities/initPage.ts b/packages/next/src/utilities/initPage.ts
index fb2663128e..1704570209 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/utilities/initPage.ts
+++ b/packages/next/src/utilities/initPage.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ import { translations } from '@payloadcms/translations/client'
 import { findLocaleFromCode } from '@payloadcms/ui/utilities/findLocaleFromCode'
 import { headers as getHeaders } from 'next/headers.js'
 import { notFound, redirect } from 'next/navigation.js'
+import { parseCookies } from 'payload/auth'
 import { createLocalReq, isEntityHidden } from 'payload/utilities'
 import qs from 'qs'
 
 import { getPayloadHMR } from '../utilities/getPayloadHMR.js'
-import { auth } from './auth.js'
 import { getRequestLanguage } from './getRequestLanguage.js'
 
 type Args = {
@@ -35,12 +35,43 @@ export const initPage = async ({
   const headers = getHeaders()
   const localeParam = searchParams?.locale as string
   const payload = await getPayloadHMR({ config: configPromise })
+  const { collections, globals, localization, routes } = payload.config
 
-  const { cookies, permissions, user } = await auth({
-    headers,
-    payload,
+  const queryString = `${qs.stringify(searchParams ?? {}, { addQueryPrefix: true })}`
+  const defaultLocale =
+    localization && localization.defaultLocale ? localization.defaultLocale : 'en'
+  const localeCode = localeParam || defaultLocale
+  const locale = localization && findLocaleFromCode(localization, localeCode)
+  const cookies = parseCookies(headers)
+  const language = getRequestLanguage({ config: payload.config, cookies, headers })
+
+  const i18n = initI18n({
+    config: payload.config.i18n,
+    context: 'client',
+    language,
+    translations,
   })
 
+  const req = createLocalReq(
+    {
+      fallbackLocale: null,
+      locale: locale.code,
+      req: {
+        i18n,
+        query: qs.parse(queryString, {
+          depth: 10,
+          ignoreQueryPrefix: true,
+        }),
+        url: `${payload.config.serverURL}${route}${searchParams ? queryString : ''}`,
+      } as PayloadRequest,
+    },
+    payload,
+  )
+
+  const { permissions, user } = await payload.auth({ headers, req })
+
+  req.user = user
+
   const visibleEntities: VisibleEntities = {
     collections: payload.config.collections
       .map(({ slug, admin: { hidden } }) => (!isEntityHidden({ hidden, user }) ? slug : null))
@@ -56,8 +87,6 @@ export const initPage = async ({
   const globalSlug = entityType === 'globals' ? entitySlug : undefined
   const docID = collectionSlug && createOrID !== 'create' ? createOrID : undefined
 
-  const { collections, globals, localization, routes } = payload.config
-
   if (redirectUnauthenticatedUser && !user && route !== '/login') {
     if (searchParams && 'redirect' in searchParams) delete searchParams.redirect
 
@@ -68,38 +97,6 @@ export const initPage = async ({
     redirect(`${routes.admin}/login?redirect=${route + stringifiedSearchParams}`)
   }
 
-  const defaultLocale =
-    localization && localization.defaultLocale ? localization.defaultLocale : 'en'
-  const localeCode = localeParam || defaultLocale
-  const locale = localization && findLocaleFromCode(localization, localeCode)
-  const language = getRequestLanguage({ config: payload.config, cookies, headers })
-
-  const i18n = initI18n({
-    config: payload.config.i18n,
-    context: 'client',
-    language,
-    translations,
-  })
-
-  const queryString = `${qs.stringify(searchParams ?? {}, { addQueryPrefix: true })}`
-
-  const req = createLocalReq(
-    {
-      fallbackLocale: null,
-      locale: locale.code,
-      req: {
-        i18n,
-        query: qs.parse(queryString, {
-          depth: 10,
-          ignoreQueryPrefix: true,
-        }),
-        url: `${payload.config.serverURL}${route}${searchParams ? queryString : ''}`,
-      } as PayloadRequest,
-      user,
-    },
-    payload,
-  )
-
   let collectionConfig: SanitizedCollectionConfig
   let globalConfig: SanitizedGlobalConfig
 
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthenticatedUser.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/executeAuthStrategies.ts
similarity index 89%
rename from packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthenticatedUser.ts
rename to packages/payload/src/auth/executeAuthStrategies.ts
index 99f88e9afe..4d292313fb 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthenticatedUser.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/executeAuthStrategies.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { AuthStrategyFunctionArgs, User } from './index.js'
 
-export const getAuthenticatedUser = async (
+export const executeAuthStrategies = async (
   args: AuthStrategyFunctionArgs,
 ): Promise<User | null> => {
   return args.payload.authStrategies.reduce(async (accumulatorPromise, strategy) => {
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/auth.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/auth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1627a01be6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/auth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import type { PayloadRequest } from '../../types/index.js'
+import type { Permissions, User } from '../types.js'
+
+import { commitTransaction } from '../../utilities/commitTransaction.js'
+import { initTransaction } from '../../utilities/initTransaction.js'
+import { killTransaction } from '../../utilities/killTransaction.js'
+import { parseCookies } from '../cookies.js'
+import { executeAuthStrategies } from '../executeAuthStrategies.js'
+import { getAccessResults } from '../getAccessResults.js'
+
+export type AuthArgs = {
+  headers: Request['headers']
+  req: Omit<PayloadRequest, 'user'>
+}
+
+export type AuthResult = {
+  cookies: Map<string, string>
+  permissions: Permissions
+  user: User | null
+}
+
+export const auth = async (args: AuthArgs): Promise<AuthResult> => {
+  const { headers } = args
+  const req = args.req as PayloadRequest
+  const { payload } = req
+
+  const cookies = parseCookies(headers)
+
+  try {
+    const shouldCommit = await initTransaction(req)
+
+    const user = await executeAuthStrategies({
+      cookies,
+      headers,
+      payload,
+    })
+
+    req.user = user
+
+    const permissions = await getAccessResults({
+      req,
+    })
+
+    if (shouldCommit) await commitTransaction(req)
+
+    return {
+      cookies,
+      permissions,
+      user,
+    }
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    await killTransaction(req)
+    throw error
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/auth.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/auth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..05ddc439f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/auth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import type { Payload } from '../../../index.js'
+import type { PayloadRequest } from '../../../types/index.js'
+import type { AuthArgs, AuthResult } from '../auth.js'
+
+import { createLocalReq } from '../../../utilities/createLocalReq.js'
+import { auth as authOperation } from '../auth.js'
+
+export const auth = async (payload: Payload, options: AuthArgs): Promise<AuthResult> => {
+  const { headers } = options
+
+  return await authOperation({
+    headers,
+    req: createLocalReq({ req: options.req as PayloadRequest }, payload),
+  })
+}
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
index 0170fef47d..3268bd641b 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { auth } from './auth.js'
 import forgotPassword from './forgotPassword.js'
 import login from './login.js'
 import resetPassword from './resetPassword.js'
@@ -5,6 +6,7 @@ import unlock from './unlock.js'
 import verifyEmail from './verifyEmail.js'
 
 export default {
+  auth,
   forgotPassword,
   login,
   resetPassword,
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/exports/auth.ts b/packages/payload/src/exports/auth.ts
index 4f69a27fa5..9838eac56a 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/exports/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/exports/auth.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 export * from '../auth/index.js'
 export { default as executeAccess } from '../auth/executeAccess.js'
+export { executeAuthStrategies } from '../auth/executeAuthStrategies.js'
 export { getAccessResults } from '../auth/getAccessResults.js'
-export { getAuthenticatedUser } from '../auth/getAuthenticatedUser.js'
 
 export type {
   AuthStrategyFunction,
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
index 062c9a3330..ddc62d82cb 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type pino from 'pino'
 
 import crypto from 'crypto'
 
+import type { AuthArgs } from './auth/operations/auth.js'
 import type { Result as ForgotPasswordResult } from './auth/operations/forgotPassword.js'
 import type { Options as ForgotPasswordOptions } from './auth/operations/local/forgotPassword.js'
 import type { Options as LoginOptions } from './auth/operations/local/login.js'
@@ -59,6 +60,17 @@ import { serverInit as serverInitTelemetry } from './utilities/telemetry/events/
  * @description Payload
  */
 export class BasePayload<TGeneratedTypes extends GeneratedTypes> {
+  /**
+   * @description Authorization and Authentication using headers and cookies to run auth user strategies
+   * @returns cookies: Map<string, string>
+   * @returns permissions: Permissions
+   * @returns user: User
+   */
+  auth = async (options: AuthArgs) => {
+    const { auth } = localOperations.auth
+    return auth(this, options)
+  }
+
   authStrategies: AuthStrategy[]
 
   collections: {
diff --git a/test/versions/collections/Versions.ts b/test/versions/collections/Versions.ts
index 7869ea7a29..369824ab42 100644
--- a/test/versions/collections/Versions.ts
+++ b/test/versions/collections/Versions.ts
@@ -4,15 +4,6 @@ import { versionCollectionSlug } from '../slugs.js'
 
 const VersionPosts: CollectionConfig = {
   slug: versionCollectionSlug,
-  admin: {
-    useAsTitle: 'title',
-    defaultColumns: ['title', 'description', 'createdAt'],
-    preview: () => 'https://payloadcms.com',
-  },
-  versions: {
-    drafts: false,
-    maxPerDoc: 2,
-  },
   access: {
     read: ({ req: { user } }) => {
       if (user) {
@@ -36,22 +27,31 @@ const VersionPosts: CollectionConfig = {
     },
     readVersions: ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user),
   },
+  admin: {
+    defaultColumns: ['title', 'description', 'createdAt'],
+    preview: () => 'https://payloadcms.com',
+    useAsTitle: 'title',
+  },
   fields: [
     {
       name: 'title',
-      label: 'Title',
       type: 'text',
+      label: 'Title',
+      localized: true,
       required: true,
       unique: true,
-      localized: true,
     },
     {
       name: 'description',
-      label: 'Description',
       type: 'textarea',
+      label: 'Description',
       required: true,
     },
   ],
+  versions: {
+    drafts: false,
+    maxPerDoc: 2,
+  },
 }
 
 export default VersionPosts