diff --git a/pkg/auth/auth.go b/pkg/auth/auth.go
index 826baf93e..5cec04916 100644
--- a/pkg/auth/auth.go
+++ b/pkg/auth/auth.go
@@ -160,16 +160,16 @@ func Login(ctx context.Context, systemContext *types.SystemContext, opts *LoginO
 	}
 
 	if err = docker.CheckAuth(ctx, systemContext, username, password, registry); err == nil {
-		// Write the new credentials to the authfile
-		desc, err := config.SetCredentials(systemContext, key, username, password)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if opts.Verbose {
-			fmt.Fprintln(opts.Stdout, "Used: ", desc)
+		if !opts.NoWriteBack {
+			// Write the new credentials to the authfile
+			desc, err := config.SetCredentials(systemContext, key, username, password)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if opts.Verbose {
+				fmt.Fprintln(opts.Stdout, "Used: ", desc)
+			}
 		}
-	}
-	if err == nil {
 		fmt.Fprintln(opts.Stdout, "Login Succeeded!")
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/auth/cli.go b/pkg/auth/cli.go
index 7266bf48b..26727f35c 100644
--- a/pkg/auth/cli.go
+++ b/pkg/auth/cli.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type LoginOptions struct {
 	Stdin                     io.Reader // set to os.Stdin
 	Stdout                    io.Writer // set to os.Stdout
 	AcceptUnspecifiedRegistry bool      // set to true if allows login with unspecified registry
+	NoWriteBack               bool      // set to true to not write the credentials to the authfile/cred helpers
 }
 
 // LogoutOptions represents the results for flags in logout