diff --git a/nova/consoleauth/manager.py b/nova/consoleauth/manager.py
index 07ae54fe46..11aaef9b5b 100644
--- a/nova/consoleauth/manager.py
+++ b/nova/consoleauth/manager.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from nova import cache_utils
 from nova.cells import rpcapi as cells_rpcapi
 from nova.compute import rpcapi as compute_rpcapi
 import nova.conf
+from nova import context as nova_context
 from nova.i18n import _LI
 from nova import manager
 from nova import objects
@@ -116,12 +117,16 @@ class ConsoleAuthManager(manager.Manager):
             return self.cells_rpcapi.validate_console_port(context,
                     instance_uuid, token['port'], token['console_type'])
 
-        instance = objects.Instance.get_by_uuid(context, instance_uuid)
+        mapping = objects.InstanceMapping.get_by_instance_uuid(context,
+                                                               instance_uuid)
+        with nova_context.target_cell(context, mapping.cell_mapping):
+            instance = objects.Instance.get_by_uuid(context, instance_uuid)
 
-        return self.compute_rpcapi.validate_console_port(context,
-                                            instance,
-                                            token['port'],
-                                            token['console_type'])
+            return self.compute_rpcapi.validate_console_port(
+                context,
+                instance,
+                token['port'],
+                token['console_type'])
 
     def check_token(self, context, token):
         token_str = self.mc.get(token.encode('UTF-8'))
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/consoleauth/test_consoleauth.py b/nova/tests/unit/consoleauth/test_consoleauth.py
index accb695364..fd055edbdc 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/consoleauth/test_consoleauth.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/consoleauth/test_consoleauth.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import six
 
 from nova.consoleauth import manager
 from nova import context
+from nova import objects
 from nova import test
 
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ class ConsoleauthTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         self.manager_api = self.manager = manager.ConsoleAuthManager()
         self.context = context.get_admin_context()
         self.instance_uuid = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'
+        self.is_cells = False
 
     def test_reset(self):
         with mock.patch('nova.compute.rpcapi.ComputeAPI') as mock_rpc:
@@ -48,6 +50,11 @@ class ConsoleauthTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
     @mock.patch('nova.objects.instance.Instance.get_by_uuid')
     def test_tokens_expire(self, mock_get):
         mock_get.return_value = None
+        # NOTE(danms): Get the faked InstanceMapping from the SingleCellSimple
+        # fixture so we can return it from our own mock to verify
+        # that it was called
+        fake_im = objects.InstanceMapping.get_by_instance_uuid(self.context,
+                                                               'fake')
 
         # Test that tokens expire correctly.
         self.useFixture(test.TimeOverride())
@@ -59,9 +66,17 @@ class ConsoleauthTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         self.manager_api.authorize_console(self.context, token, 'novnc',
                                          '127.0.0.1', '8080', 'host',
                                          self.instance_uuid)
-        self.assertIsNotNone(self.manager_api.check_token(self.context, token))
-        timeutils.advance_time_seconds(1)
-        self.assertIsNone(self.manager_api.check_token(self.context, token))
+        with mock.patch('nova.objects.InstanceMapping.'
+                        'get_by_instance_uuid') as mock_get:
+            mock_get.return_value = fake_im
+            self.assertIsNotNone(self.manager_api.check_token(self.context,
+                                                              token))
+            timeutils.advance_time_seconds(1)
+            self.assertIsNone(self.manager_api.check_token(self.context,
+                                                           token))
+            if not self.is_cells:
+                mock_get.assert_called_once_with(self.context,
+                                                 self.instance_uuid)
 
     def _stub_validate_console_port(self, result):
         def fake_validate_console_port(ctxt, instance, port, console_type):
@@ -213,6 +228,7 @@ class CellsConsoleauthTestCase(ConsoleauthTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(CellsConsoleauthTestCase, self).setUp()
         self.flags(enable=True, group='cells')
+        self.is_cells = True
 
     def _stub_validate_console_port(self, result):
         def fake_validate_console_port(ctxt, instance_uuid, console_port,