diff --git a/contrib/docs/tutorials/gcp-iap-auth.md b/contrib/docs/tutorials/gcp-iap-auth.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2ec031467
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/docs/tutorials/gcp-iap-auth.md
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+# Using AWS Application Load Balancer with Azure Active Directory to authenticate requests
+
+Backstage allows offloading the responsibility of authenticating users to an AWS Application Load Balancer (**ALB**), leveraging the authentication support on ALB.
+This tutorial shows how to use authentication on an ALB sitting in front of Backstage.
+Azure Active Directory (**AAD**) is used as identity provider but any identity provider supporting OpenID Connect (OIDC) can be used.
+
+It is assumed an ALB is already serving traffic in front of a Backstage instance configured to serve the frontend app from the backend.
+
+## Infrastructure setup
+
+## Backstage changes
+
+### Frontend
+
+The Backstage App needs a SignInPage when authentication is required.
+When using ALB authentication Backstage will only be loaded once the user has successfully authenticated; we won't need to display a SignIn page, however we will need to create a dummy SignIn component that can refresh the token.
+
+- edit `packages/app/src/App.tsx`
+- import the following two additional definitions from `@backstage/core`: `useApi`, `configApiRef`; these will be used to check whether Backstage is running locally or behind an ALB
+- add the following definition just before the app is created (`const app = createApp`):
+
+```ts
+const refreshToken = async ({ props, discoveryApiConfig, config }) => {
+  const baseUrl = await discoveryApiConfig.getBaseUrl("auth");
+  const shouldAuth = !!config.getOptionalConfig('auth.providers.gcp-iap');
+
+  if (!shouldAuth) {
+    props.onResult({
+      userId: 'guest',
+      profile: {
+        email: 'guest@example.com',
+        displayName: 'Guest',
+        picture: '',
+      },
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+  try {
+
+    const request = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/gcp-iap/refresh`, {
+      headers: {
+        "x-requested-with": "XMLHttpRequest"
+      },
+      credentials: "include"
+    });
+    const data = await request.json()
+
+    props.onResult({
+      userId: data.backstageIdentity.id ?? "nouser@ms.at",
+      profile: data.profile ?? "nouser@ms.at",
+    });
+  } catch (e) {
+    props.onResult({
+      userId: 'guest',
+      profile: {
+        email: 'guest@example.com',
+        displayName: 'Guest',
+        picture: '',
+      },
+    });
+  }
+};
+const DummySignInComponent: any = (props: any) => {
+  try {
+    const config = useApi(configApiRef);
+    const discoveryApiConfig = useApi(discoveryApiRef);
+    refreshToken({ props, discoveryApiConfig, config })
+    return <div />;
+  } catch (err) {
+    return <div>{err.message}</div>;
+  }
+};
+```
+
+### Backend
+
+When using ALB auth it is not possible to leverage the built-in auth config discovery mechanism implemented in the app created by default; bespoke logic needs to be implemented.
+
+- replace the content of `packages/backend/plugin/auth.ts` with the below
+
+```ts
+// imports are relative - as this was tested out in repo directly
+import { createGcpIAPProvider } from './../providers/gcp-iap/provider';
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import { PluginEnvironment } from '../types';
+import {
+  createRouter,
+  AuthResponse,
+  AuthProviderFactoryOptions,
+} from '@backstage/plugin-auth-backend';
+
+export default async function createPlugin({
+  logger,
+  database,
+  config,
+  discovery,
+}: PluginEnvironment): Promise<Router> {
+  const identityResolver = (payload: any): Promise<AuthResponse<any>> => {
+    return Promise.resolve({
+      providerInfo: {},
+      profile: {
+        email: payload.email,
+        displayName: payload.name,
+        picture: payload.picture,
+      },
+      backstageIdentity: {
+        id: payload.email,
+      },
+    });
+  };
+  return await createRouter({
+    logger, config, database, discovery, providerFactories: {
+      "gcp-iap": (options: AuthProviderFactoryOptions) => {
+        return createGcpIAPProvider({ ...options, identityResolver })({ ...options, identityResolver })
+      }
+    },
+  });
+}
+```
+
+### Configuration
+
+Use the following `auth` configuration when running Backstage on AWS:
+
+```yaml
+auth:
+  providers:
+    gcp-iap:
+      audience: "/projects/0123456/global/backendServices/1242345678765434567"
+```
+
+
+## Conclusion
+
+Once it's deployed, after going through the AAD authentication flow, Backstage should display the AAD user details.
+
+<!-- links -->
+
+[monorepo-app-setup-with-auth-ms]: https://backstage.io/docs/auth/microsoft/provider
diff --git a/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/index.ts b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c81aa919d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+export { createGcpIAPProvider } from './provider';
+export type { GcpIAPProviderOptions } from './provider';
diff --git a/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.test.ts b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3fa168665a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { getVoidLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
+import express from 'express';
+import { JWT } from 'jose';
+
+import { AwsAlbAuthProvider } from './provider';
+import { AuthResponse } from '../types';
+
+const jwtMock = JWT as jest.Mocked<any>;
+
+const mockKey = async () => {
+  return `-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
+MFkwEwYHKoZIzj0CAQYIKoZIzj0DAQcDQgAEnuN4LlaJhaUpx+qZFTzYCrSBLk0I
+yOlxJ2VW88mLAQGJ7HPAvOdylxZsItMnzCuqNzZvie8m/NJsOjhDncVkrw==
+-----END PUBLIC KEY-----
+`;
+};
+
+jest.mock('jose');
+
+jest.mock('cross-fetch', () => ({
+  __esModule: true,
+  default: async () => {
+    return {
+      text: async () => {
+        return mockKey();
+      },
+    };
+  },
+}));
+
+const identityResolutionCallbackMock = async (): Promise<AuthResponse<any>> => {
+  return {
+    backstageIdentity: {
+      id: 'foo',
+      idToken: '',
+    },
+    profile: {
+      displayName: 'Foo Bar',
+    },
+    providerInfo: {},
+  };
+};
+
+const identityResolutionCallbackRejectedMock = async (): Promise<
+  AuthResponse<any>
+> => {
+  throw new Error('failed');
+};
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  jest.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe('AwsALBAuthProvider', () => {
+  const catalogApi = {
+    /* eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars */
+    addLocation: jest.fn(),
+    removeLocationById: jest.fn(),
+    getEntities: jest.fn(),
+    getOriginLocationByEntity: jest.fn(),
+    getLocationByEntity: jest.fn(),
+    getLocationById: jest.fn(),
+    removeEntityByUid: jest.fn(),
+    getEntityByName: jest.fn(),
+  };
+
+  const mockRequest = ({
+    header: jest.fn(() => {
+      return 'eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCIsImtpZCI6ImZvbyIsImlzcyI6ImZvbyJ9.eyJzdWIiOiIxMjM0NTY3ODkwIiwibmFtZSI6IkpvaG4gRG9lIiwiaWF0IjoxNTE2MjM5MDIyfQ.T2BNS4G-6RoiFnXc8Q8TiwdWzTpNitY8jcsGM3N3-Yo';
+    }),
+  } as unknown) as express.Request;
+  const mockRequestWithoutJwt = ({
+    header: jest.fn(() => {
+      return undefined;
+    }),
+  } as unknown) as express.Request;
+  const mockResponse = ({
+    end: jest.fn(),
+    header: () => jest.fn(),
+    json: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+    status: jest.fn(),
+  } as unknown) as express.Response;
+
+  describe('should transform to type OAuthResponse', () => {
+    it('when JWT is valid and identity is resolved successfully', async () => {
+      const provider = new AwsAlbAuthProvider(getVoidLogger(), catalogApi, {
+        region: 'us-west-2',
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolutionCallbackMock,
+        issuer: 'foo',
+      });
+
+      jwtMock.verify.mockImplementationOnce(() => ({
+        sub: 'foo',
+      }));
+
+      await provider.refresh(mockRequest, mockResponse);
+
+      expect(mockResponse.json).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        backstageIdentity: {
+          id: 'foo',
+          idToken: '',
+        },
+        profile: {
+          displayName: 'Foo Bar',
+        },
+        providerInfo: {},
+      });
+    });
+  });
+  describe('should fail when', () => {
+    it('JWT is missing', async () => {
+      const provider = new AwsAlbAuthProvider(getVoidLogger(), catalogApi, {
+        region: 'us-west-2',
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolutionCallbackMock,
+        issuer: 'foo',
+      });
+
+      await provider.refresh(mockRequestWithoutJwt, mockResponse);
+
+      expect(mockResponse.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+    });
+
+    it('JWT is invalid', async () => {
+      const provider = new AwsAlbAuthProvider(getVoidLogger(), catalogApi, {
+        region: 'us-west-2',
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolutionCallbackMock,
+        issuer: 'foo',
+      });
+
+      jwtMock.verify.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+        throw new Error('bad JWT');
+      });
+
+      await provider.refresh(mockRequest, mockResponse);
+
+      expect(mockResponse.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+    });
+
+    it('issuer is invalid', async () => {
+      const provider = new AwsAlbAuthProvider(getVoidLogger(), catalogApi, {
+        region: 'us-west-2',
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolutionCallbackMock,
+        issuer: 'foobar',
+      });
+
+      jwtMock.verify.mockReturnValueOnce({});
+
+      await provider.refresh(mockRequest, mockResponse);
+      expect(mockResponse.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+    });
+
+    it('identity resolution callback rejects', async () => {
+      const provider = new AwsAlbAuthProvider(getVoidLogger(), catalogApi, {
+        region: 'us-west-2',
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolutionCallbackRejectedMock,
+        issuer: 'foo',
+      });
+
+      jwtMock.verify.mockReturnValueOnce({});
+
+      await provider.refresh(mockRequest, mockResponse);
+
+      expect(mockResponse.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+      expect(mockResponse.end).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.ts b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1d6f5c3d5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/auth-backend/src/providers/gcp-iap/provider.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import {
+  AuthProviderFactoryOptions,
+  AuthProviderRouteHandlers,
+  AuthResponse
+} from '@backstage/plugin-auth-backend';
+import express from 'express';
+import { Logger } from 'winston';
+import { CatalogApi } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
+
+const { OAuth2Client } = require('google-auth-library');
+
+const IAP_JWT_HEADER = 'x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion';
+
+export type ExperimentalIdentityResolver = (
+  /**
+   * An object containing information specific to the auth provider.
+   */
+  payload: object,
+  catalogApi: CatalogApi,
+) => Promise<AuthResponse<any>>;
+export type GcpIAPProviderOptions = {
+  audience: string;
+  identityResolutionCallback: ExperimentalIdentityResolver;
+};
+export class GcpIAPProvider implements AuthProviderRouteHandlers {
+  private logger: Logger;
+  private options: GcpIAPProviderOptions;
+  private readonly catalogClient: CatalogApi;
+
+  constructor(
+    logger: Logger,
+    catalogClient: CatalogApi,
+    options: GcpIAPProviderOptions,
+  ) {
+    this.logger = logger;
+    this.catalogClient = catalogClient;
+    this.options = options;
+  }
+  frameHandler(): Promise<void> {
+    return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+  }
+
+  async refresh(req: express.Request, res: express.Response): Promise<void> {
+    const expectedAudience = this.options.audience;
+
+    const jwtToken = req.header(IAP_JWT_HEADER);
+
+    const oAuth2Client = new OAuth2Client();
+    const verify = async () => {
+      const response = await oAuth2Client.getIapPublicKeys();
+      const ticket = await oAuth2Client.verifySignedJwtWithCertsAsync(
+        jwtToken,
+        response.pubkeys,
+        expectedAudience,
+        ['https://cloud.google.com/iap']
+      );
+      return ticket.payload;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const user = await verify();
+      const resolvedEntity = await this.options.identityResolutionCallback(
+        {
+          email: user.email
+        },
+        this.catalogClient,
+      );
+      res.json(resolvedEntity);
+    } catch (e) {
+      const resolvedEntity = await this.options.identityResolutionCallback(
+        {},
+        this.catalogClient,
+      );
+      res.json(resolvedEntity);
+      this.logger.error('Verification failed with', e);
+
+      res.status(401);
+      res.end();
+    }
+    res.status(200);
+    res.end();
+  }
+
+  start(): Promise<void> {
+    return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+  }
+}
+
+
+export const createGcpIAPProvider = (_options?: GcpIAPProviderOptions) => {
+  return ({
+    logger,
+    catalogApi,
+    config,
+    identityResolver,
+  }: AuthProviderFactoryOptions) => {
+    const audience = config.getString('audience');
+    if (identityResolver !== undefined) {
+      return new GcpIAPProvider(logger, catalogApi, {
+        audience,
+        identityResolutionCallback: identityResolver,
+      });
+    }
+    throw new Error(
+      'Identity resolver is required to use this authentication provider',
+    );
+  };
+};