diff --git a/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js b/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
index 5b1f049..aacd651 100644
--- a/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
+++ b/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ function BasicStrategy(options, verify) {
   this._verify = verify;
   this._realm = options.realm || 'Users';
   this._passReqToCallback = options.passReqToCallback;
+  this._acceptEmptyPassword = options.acceptEmptyPassword;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -75,11 +76,11 @@ BasicStrategy.prototype.authenticate = function(req) {
     , credentials = new Buffer(parts[1], 'base64').toString().split(':');
 
   if (!/Basic/i.test(scheme)) { return this.fail(this._challenge()); }
-  if (credentials.length < 2) { return this.fail(400); }
+  if (!this._acceptEmptyPassword && (credentials.length < 2)) { return this.fail(400); }
   
   var userid = credentials[0];
   var password = credentials[1];
-  if (!userid || !password) {
+  if (!userid || (!password && !this._acceptEmptyPassword)) {
     return this.fail(this._challenge());
   }
   
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 74bd040..8d82093 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,15 @@
   "name": "passport-http",
   "version": "0.2.2",
   "description": "HTTP Basic and Digest authentication strategies for Passport.",
-  "keywords": ["passport", "http", "basic", "digest", "auth", "authn", "authentication"],
+  "keywords": [
+    "passport",
+    "http",
+    "basic",
+    "digest",
+    "auth",
+    "authn",
+    "authentication"
+  ],
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "git://github.com/jaredhanson/passport-http.git"
@@ -15,20 +23,24 @@
     "email": "jaredhanson@gmail.com",
     "url": "http://www.jaredhanson.net/"
   },
-  "licenses": [ {
-    "type": "MIT",
-    "url": "http://www.opensource.org/licenses/MIT" 
-  } ],
+  "licenses": [
+    {
+      "type": "MIT",
+      "url": "http://www.opensource.org/licenses/MIT"
+    }
+  ],
   "main": "./lib/passport-http",
   "dependencies": {
     "pkginfo": "0.2.x",
     "passport": "~0.1.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "vows": "0.6.x"
+    "vows": "^0.7.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "test": "NODE_PATH=lib node_modules/.bin/vows test/*-test.js test/**/*-test.js"
   },
-  "engines": { "node": ">= 0.4.0" }
+  "engines": {
+    "node": ">= 0.4.0"
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/strategies/basic-test.js b/test/strategies/basic-test.js
index 6a5b453..20ca4c1 100644
--- a/test/strategies/basic-test.js
+++ b/test/strategies/basic-test.js
@@ -440,4 +440,40 @@ vows.describe('BasicStrategy').addBatch({
     },
   },
 
+  'strategy handling a request with empty password with acceptEmptyPassword=true option': {
+    topic: function() {
+      var strategy = new BasicStrategy({acceptEmptyPassword:true}, function(userid, password, done) {
+        done(null, { username: userid, password: password });
+      });
+      return strategy;
+    },
+    
+    'after augmenting with actions': {
+      topic: function(strategy) {
+        var self = this;
+        var req = {};
+        strategy.success = function(user) {
+          self.callback(null, user);
+        }
+        strategy.fail = function() {
+          self.callback(new Error('should not be called'));
+        }
+        
+        req.headers = {};
+        req.headers.authorization = 'Basic Ym9iOg==';
+        process.nextTick(function () {
+          strategy.authenticate(req);
+        });
+      },
+      
+      'should not generate an error' : function(err, user) {
+        assert.isNull(err);
+      },
+      'should authenticate' : function(err, user) {
+        assert.equal(user.username, 'bob');
+        assert.equal(user.password, '');
+      },
+    },
+  },
+
 }).export(module);