diff --git a/rhodecode/authentication/__init__.py b/rhodecode/authentication/__init__.py
--- a/rhodecode/authentication/__init__.py
+++ b/rhodecode/authentication/__init__.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def _import_legacy_plugin(plugin_id):
     return module.plugin_factory(plugin_id=plugin_id)
 
 
-def _discover_legacy_plugins(config, prefix=legacy_plugin_prefix):
+def discover_legacy_plugins(config, prefix=legacy_plugin_prefix):
     """
     Function that imports the legacy plugins stored in the 'auth_plugins'
     setting in database which are using the specified prefix. Normally 'py:' is
@@ -97,15 +97,3 @@ def includeme(config):
                     request_method='POST',
                     route_name='auth_home',
                     context=AuthnRootResource)
-
-    # load CE authentication plugins
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_crowd')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_headers')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_jasig_cas')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_ldap')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_pam')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_rhodecode')
-    config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_token')
-
-    # Auto discover authentication plugins and include their configuration.
-    _discover_legacy_plugins(config)
diff --git a/rhodecode/config/middleware.py b/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/middleware.py
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ def is_http_error(response):
     return response.status_code > 499
 
 
+def should_load_all():
+    """
+    Returns if all application components should be loaded. In some cases it's
+    desired to skip apps loading for faster shell script execution
+    """
+    return True
+
+
 def make_pyramid_app(global_config, **settings):
     """
     Constructs the WSGI application based on Pyramid.
@@ -233,6 +241,8 @@ def includeme(config):
     if asbool(settings.get('appenlight', 'false')):
         config.include('appenlight_client.ext.pyramid_tween')
 
+    load_all = should_load_all()
+
     # Includes which are required. The application would fail without them.
     config.include('pyramid_mako')
     config.include('pyramid_beaker')
@@ -245,26 +255,42 @@ def includeme(config):
     config.include('rhodecode.integrations')
     config.include('rhodecode.authentication')
 
+    if load_all:
+        from rhodecode.authentication import discover_legacy_plugins
+        # load CE authentication plugins
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_crowd')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_headers')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_jasig_cas')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_ldap')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_pam')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_rhodecode')
+        config.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_token')
+
+        # Auto discover authentication plugins and include their configuration.
+        discover_legacy_plugins(config)
+
     # apps
     config.include('rhodecode.apps._base')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.ops')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.admin')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.channelstream')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.login')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.home')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.journal')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.repository')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.repo_group')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_group')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.search')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_profile')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_group_profile')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.my_account')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.svn_support')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.ssh_support')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.gist')
-    config.include('rhodecode.apps.debug_style')
-    config.include('rhodecode.api')
+
+    if load_all:
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.ops')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.admin')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.channelstream')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.login')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.home')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.journal')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.repository')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.repo_group')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_group')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.search')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_profile')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.user_group_profile')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.my_account')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.svn_support')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.ssh_support')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.gist')
+        config.include('rhodecode.apps.debug_style')
+        config.include('rhodecode.api')
 
     config.add_route('rhodecode_support', 'https://rhodecode.com/help/', static=True)
     config.add_translation_dirs('rhodecode:i18n/')
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py b/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ class StubVCSController(simplevcs.Simple
 def vcscontroller(baseapp, config_stub, request_stub):
     config_stub.testing_securitypolicy()
     config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication')
+    config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_rhodecode')
+    config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_token')
 
     controller = StubVCSController(
         baseapp.config.get_settings(), request_stub.registry)
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/other/test_validators.py b/rhodecode/tests/other/test_validators.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/other/test_validators.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/other/test_validators.py
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ def test_ValidPasswordsMatch(localizer):
 def test_ValidAuth(localizer, config_stub):
     config_stub.testing_securitypolicy()
     config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication')
+    config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_rhodecode')
+    config_stub.include('rhodecode.authentication.plugins.auth_token')
 
     validator = v.ValidAuth(localizer)
     valid_creds = {