diff --git a/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json b/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
index 12dcb90f47..a8c6dd84e7 100644
--- a/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
+++ b/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@
           "name": "http_password",
           "label": "HTTP Password",
           "type": "password",
-          "help": "Password used for basic HTTP authentication. Leave this blank if you do not want to change it.",
+          "help": "Password used for basic HTTP authentication. Leave this alone if you do not want to change it.",
+          "password_placeholder" : "******",
           "value-hidden": true
         },
         {
diff --git a/domain-server/resources/web/settings/js/settings.js b/domain-server/resources/web/settings/js/settings.js
index 7642a66867..69bdf1df3f 100644
--- a/domain-server/resources/web/settings/js/settings.js
+++ b/domain-server/resources/web/settings/js/settings.js
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ var viewHelpers = {
 
           form_group += "<input type='" + input_type + "'" +  common_attrs() +
             "placeholder='" + (_.has(setting, 'placeholder') ? setting.placeholder : "") +
-            "' value='" + setting_value + "'/>"
+            "' value='" + (_.has(setting, 'password_placeholder') ? setting.password_placeholder : setting_value) + "'/>"
         }
 
         form_group += "<span class='help-block'>" + setting.help + "</span>"
@@ -981,40 +981,38 @@ function saveSettings() {
 
   if (validateInputs()) {
     // POST the form JSON to the domain-server settings.json endpoint so the settings are saved
+    var canPost = true;
 
     // disable any inputs not changed
-    $("input:not([data-changed])").each(function(){
+    $("input:not([data-changed])").each(function () {
       $(this).prop('disabled', true);
     });
 
     // grab a JSON representation of the form via form2js
     var formJSON = form2js('settings-form', ".", false, cleanupFormValues, true);
 
-    // check if we've set the basic http password - if so convert it to base64
+    // check if we've set the basic http password
     if (formJSON["security"]) {
+
       var password = formJSON["security"]["http_password"];
-      if (password && password.length > 0) {
+      var verify_password = formJSON["security"]["verify_http_password"];
+
+      // if they've only emptied out the default password field, we should go ahead and acknowledge 
+      // the verify password field
+      if (password != undefined && verify_password == undefined) {
+        verify_password = "";
+      }
+
+      // if we have a password and its verification, convert it to sha256 for comparison
+      if (password != undefined && verify_password != undefined) {
         formJSON["security"]["http_password"] = sha256_digest(password);
-      }
-      var verify_password = formJSON["security"]["verify_http_password"];
-      if (verify_password && verify_password.length > 0) {
         formJSON["security"]["verify_http_password"] = sha256_digest(verify_password);
-      }
-    }
 
-    // verify that the password and confirmation match before saving
-    var canPost = true;
-
-    if (formJSON["security"]) {
-      var password = formJSON["security"]["http_password"];
-      var verify_password = formJSON["security"]["verify_http_password"];
-
-      if (password && password.length > 0) {
-        if (password != verify_password) {
-          bootbox.alert({"message": "Passwords must match!", "title":"Password Error"});
-          canPost = false;
-        } else {
+        if (password == verify_password) {
           delete formJSON["security"]["verify_http_password"];
+        } else {
+          bootbox.alert({ "message": "Passwords must match!", "title": "Password Error" });
+          canPost = false;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -1023,7 +1021,7 @@ function saveSettings() {
     console.log(formJSON);
 
     // re-enable all inputs
-    $("input").each(function(){
+    $("input").each(function () {
       $(this).prop('disabled', false);
     });
 
@@ -1031,6 +1029,27 @@ function saveSettings() {
     $(this).blur();
 
     if (canPost) {
+      if (formJSON["security"]) {
+        var username = formJSON["security"]["http_username"];
+        var password = formJSON["security"]["http_password"];
+
+        if ((password == sha256_digest("")) && (username == undefined || (username && username.length != 0))) {
+          swal({
+            title: "Are you sure?",
+            text: "You have entered a blank password with a non-blank username. Are you sure you want to require a blank password?",
+            type: "warning",
+            showCancelButton: true,
+            confirmButtonColor: "#5cb85c",
+            confirmButtonText: "Yes!",
+            closeOnConfirm: true
+          },
+          function () {
+              formJSON["security"]["http_password"] = "";
+              postSettings(formJSON);
+          });
+          return;
+        }
+      }
       // POST the form JSON to the domain-server settings.json endpoint so the settings are saved
       postSettings(formJSON);
     }
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index 782c54419d..d637a20454 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -2114,10 +2114,10 @@ bool DomainServer::isAuthenticatedRequest(HTTPConnection* connection, const QUrl
                     const QVariant* settingsPasswordVariant = valueForKeyPath(settingsMap, BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD_KEY_PATH);
 
                     QString settingsPassword = settingsPasswordVariant ? settingsPasswordVariant->toString() : "";
-                    QString hexHeaderPassword = QCryptographicHash::hash(headerPassword.toUtf8(), QCryptographicHash::Sha256).toHex();
-
-                    if (settingsUsername == headerUsername
-                        && (settingsPassword.isEmpty() || hexHeaderPassword == settingsPassword)) {
+                    QString hexHeaderPassword = headerPassword.isEmpty() ?
+                        "" : QCryptographicHash::hash(headerPassword.toUtf8(), QCryptographicHash::Sha256).toHex();
+                        
+                    if (settingsUsername == headerUsername && hexHeaderPassword == settingsPassword) {
                         return true;
                     }
                 }