diff --git a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/docker-compose.yml b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/docker-compose.yml
index a1c92cdaed6e..054743ea65ea 100644
--- a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ services:
       sails_session__url: redis://redis:6379
       sails_custom__fleetBaseUrl: '' #Add the base url of your Fleet instance: ex: https://fleet.example.com
       sails_custom__fleetApiToken: '' # Add the API token of an API-only user [?] Here's how you get one: https://fleetdm.com/docs/using-fleet/fleetctl-cli#get-the-api-token-of-an-api-only-user
+      sails_custom__fleetApiOptionalCookie: ''  # If your fleet instance requires optional cookies, use this to interact with the APIs
 
   redis:
     image: "redis:alpine"
diff --git a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/replace-placeholder-host-values.js b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/replace-placeholder-host-values.js
index 20ecc4236899..89a2ff093b51 100644
--- a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/replace-placeholder-host-values.js
+++ b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/replace-placeholder-host-values.js
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ module.exports = {
       Authorization: `Bearer ${sails.config.custom.fleetApiToken}`
     };
 
+    if (sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie) {
+      headers['Cookie'] = sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie;
+    }
+
     let page = 0;
     let HOSTS_PAGE_SIZE = 100;
 
@@ -85,4 +89,3 @@ module.exports = {
 
 
 };
-
diff --git a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-critical-software.js b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-critical-software.js
index efda7e2ee41f..29c0cc462b32 100644
--- a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-critical-software.js
+++ b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-critical-software.js
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ module.exports = {
     let headers = {
       Authorization: `Bearer ${sails.config.custom.fleetApiToken}`
     };
+    if (sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie) {
+      headers['Cookie'] = sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie;
+    }
     sails.log('Running custom shell script... (`sails run update-critical-software`)');
 
 
@@ -354,4 +357,3 @@ module.exports = {
 
 
 };
-
diff --git a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-reports.js b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-reports.js
index fa56ac2c231b..92128905370d 100644
--- a/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-reports.js
+++ b/ee/vulnerability-dashboard/scripts/update-reports.js
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ module.exports = {
     let headers = {
       Authorization: `Bearer ${sails.config.custom.fleetApiToken}`
     };
+    if (sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie) {
+      headers['Cookie'] = sails.config.custom.fleetApiOptionalCookie;
+    }
 
     // Keep track of the latest vulnerabilities, hosts, and software seen in the Fleet scan.
     // We'll use these later to check if any records have gone missing.