diff -r 0c678b63d017 -r 480187dd66b3 web/views/authentication.py
--- a/web/views/authentication.py	Thu Feb 13 16:32:41 2014 +0100
+++ b/web/views/authentication.py	Thu Feb 13 16:37:40 2014 +0100
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 from cubicweb import AuthenticationError, BadConnectionId
 from cubicweb.view import Component
 from cubicweb.web import InvalidSession
-from cubicweb.web.application import AbstractAuthenticationManager
+
 
 class NoAuthInfo(Exception): pass
 
@@ -101,6 +101,36 @@
     '("ie" instead of "ei")')
 
 
+class AbstractAuthenticationManager(Component):
+    """authenticate user associated to a request and check session validity"""
+    __abstract__ = True
+    __regid__ = 'authmanager'
+
+    def __init__(self, repo):
+        self.vreg = repo.vreg
+
+    def validate_session(self, req, session):
+        """check session validity, reconnecting it to the repository if the
+        associated connection expired in the repository side (hence the
+        necessity for this method).
+
+        raise :exc:`InvalidSession` if session is corrupted for a reason or
+        another and should be closed
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def authenticate(self, req):
+        """authenticate user using connection information found in the request,
+        and return corresponding a :class:`~cubicweb.dbapi.Connection` instance,
+        as well as login and authentication information dictionary used to open
+        the connection.
+
+        raise :exc:`cubicweb.AuthenticationError` if authentication failed
+        (no authentication info found or wrong user/password)
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+
 class RepositoryAuthenticationManager(AbstractAuthenticationManager):
     """authenticate user associated to a request and check session validity"""