diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_auth_backends.py b/zerver/tests/test_auth_backends.py
index 9aa35d5c6b..25e3bf546c 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_auth_backends.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_auth_backends.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import re
 
 from zerver.forms import HomepageForm
 from zerver.lib.actions import do_deactivate_realm, do_deactivate_user, \
-    do_reactivate_realm, do_reactivate_user
+    do_reactivate_realm, do_reactivate_user, do_set_realm_authentication_methods
 from zerver.lib.initial_password import initial_password
 from zerver.lib.sessions import get_session_dict_user
 from zerver.lib.test_classes import (
@@ -1011,6 +1011,65 @@ class FetchAuthBackends(ZulipTestCase):
                 'zulip_version': ZULIP_VERSION,
             })
 
+            # Test subdomains cases
+            with self.settings(REALMS_HAVE_SUBDOMAINS=True,
+                               SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE=False):
+                result = self.client_get("/api/v1/get_auth_backends")
+                self.assert_json_success(result)
+                data = ujson.loads(result.content)
+                self.assertEqual(data, {
+                    'msg': '',
+                    'password': False,
+                    'google': True,
+                    'dev': True,
+                    'result': 'success',
+                    'zulip_version': ZULIP_VERSION,
+                })
+
+                # Verify invalid subdomain
+                result = self.client_get("/api/v1/get_auth_backends",
+                                         HTTP_HOST="invalid.testserver")
+                self.assert_json_error_contains(result, "Invalid subdomain", 400)
+
+                # Verify correct behavior with a valid subdomain with
+                # some backends disabled for the realm
+                realm = get_realm("zulip")
+                do_set_realm_authentication_methods(realm, dict(Google=False,
+                                                                Email=False,
+                                                                Dev=True))
+                result = self.client_get("/api/v1/get_auth_backends",
+                                         HTTP_HOST="zulip.testserver")
+                self.assert_json_success(result)
+                data = ujson.loads(result.content)
+                self.assertEqual(data, {
+                    'msg': '',
+                    'password': False,
+                    'google': False,
+                    'dev': True,
+                    'result': 'success',
+                    'zulip_version': ZULIP_VERSION,
+                })
+            with self.settings(REALMS_HAVE_SUBDOMAINS=True,
+                               SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE=True):
+                # With SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE, homepage fails
+                result = self.client_get("/api/v1/get_auth_backends",
+                                         HTTP_HOST="testserver")
+                self.assert_json_error_contains(result, "Subdomain required", 400)
+
+                # With SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE, subdomain pages succeed
+                result = self.client_get("/api/v1/get_auth_backends",
+                                         HTTP_HOST="zulip.testserver")
+                self.assert_json_success(result)
+                data = ujson.loads(result.content)
+                self.assertEqual(data, {
+                    'msg': '',
+                    'password': False,
+                    'google': False,
+                    'dev': True,
+                    'result': 'success',
+                    'zulip_version': ZULIP_VERSION,
+                })
+
 class TestDevAuthBackend(ZulipTestCase):
     def test_login_success(self):
         # type: () -> None
diff --git a/zerver/views/auth.py b/zerver/views/auth.py
index 9276cc24e9..6384d45503 100644
--- a/zerver/views/auth.py
+++ b/zerver/views/auth.py
@@ -459,11 +459,30 @@ def api_fetch_api_key(request, username=REQ(), password=REQ()):
 @csrf_exempt
 def api_get_auth_backends(request):
     # type: (HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse
-    # May return a false positive for password auth if it's been disabled
-    # for a specific realm. Currently only happens for zulip.com on prod
-    return json_success({"password": password_auth_enabled(None),
-                         "dev": dev_auth_enabled(),
-                         "google": google_auth_enabled(),
+    """Returns which authentication methods are enabled on the server"""
+    if settings.REALMS_HAVE_SUBDOMAINS:
+        subdomain = get_subdomain(request)
+        try:
+            realm = Realm.objects.get(string_id=subdomain)
+        except Realm.DoesNotExist:
+            # If not the root subdomain, this is an error
+            if subdomain != "":
+                return json_error(_("Invalid subdomain"))
+            # With the root subdomain, it's an error or not depending
+            # whether SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE (which indicates whether
+            # there are some realms without subdomains on this server)
+            # is set.
+            if settings.SUBDOMAINS_HOMEPAGE:
+                return json_error(_("Subdomain required"))
+            else:
+                realm = None
+    else:
+        # Without subdomains, we just have to report what the server
+        # supports, since we don't know the realm.
+        realm = None
+    return json_success({"password": password_auth_enabled(realm),
+                         "dev": dev_auth_enabled(realm),
+                         "google": google_auth_enabled(realm),
                          "zulip_version": ZULIP_VERSION,
                          })