User gets a “Session Already Running“ error when attempts to unlock a GUI session with a smart card

Solution Verified - Updated 2026-03-26T19:22:54+00:00 -

Issue

Log in using a smart card (CAC) on the system console
Switch to GDM login screen by choosing “Switch User” in the system menu or by pressing Ctls-Alt-F1
Log in as a second user
Switch to GDM login screen, again
Use the smart card to re-authenticate to the session started in step 1
Login fails with an error dialog indicating “Session Already Running”

The error in step 5 does not occur if a username and password are entered.

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