diff --git a/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js b/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
index a1f251c..4dbc9f7 100644
--- a/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
+++ b/lib/passport-http/strategies/basic.js
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ BasicStrategy.prototype.authenticate = function(req) {
   var parts = authorization.split(' ')
   if (parts.length < 2) { return this.fail(400); }
   
-  var scheme = parts[0]
-    , credentials = new Buffer(parts[1], 'base64').toString().split(':');
-
+  var scheme = parts[0], credstr = new Buffer(parts[1], 'base64').toString();
+  if (credstr.indexOf(":") === -1) { return this.fail(400); }
+  var credentials = [ credstr.substr(0, credstr.indexOf(":")),
+					  credstr.substr(credstr.indexOf(":")+1) ];
   if (!/Basic/i.test(scheme)) { return this.fail(this._challenge()); }
-  if (credentials.length < 2) { return this.fail(400); }
   
   var userid = credentials[0];
   var password = credentials[1];