diff --git a/couchdb_overall_monitoring/couchdb_overall_monitoring.rb b/couchdb_overall_monitoring/couchdb_overall_monitoring.rb
index 8f5a0b6c..9717ab80 100644
--- a/couchdb_overall_monitoring/couchdb_overall_monitoring.rb
+++ b/couchdb_overall_monitoring/couchdb_overall_monitoring.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ class CouchDBOverallMonitoring< Scout::Plugin
       couchdb_host:
         notes: The host that CouchDB is running on
         default: http://127.0.0.1
+      couchdb_user:
+        notes: The CouchDB http basic authentication user
+        default: admin
+      couchdb_pwd:
+        notes: The CouchDB http basic authentication password
+        default: secret
     EOS
 
     needs 'open-uri', 'json'
@@ -29,13 +35,22 @@ def build_report
       if option(:couchdb_host).nil? or option(:couchdb_port).nil?
         return error("Please provide the host & port", "The Couch DB Host and Port is required.\n\nCouch DB Host: #{option(:couchdb_host)}\n\nCouch DB Port: #{option(:couchdb_port)}")
       end
+      options = {}
       @base_url = "#{option(:couchdb_host)}:#{option(:couchdb_port)}/"
-      @response = JSON.parse(open(@base_url + "_stats").read)
+      options[:http_basic_authentication] = [option(:couchdb_user), option(:couchdb_pwd)] if option(:couchdb_user)
+      @response = JSON.parse(open(@base_url + "_stats", options).read)
 
       report_metrics
       report_httpd_status_codes
-    rescue OpenURI::HTTPError
-      error("Stats URL not found","Please ensure the base url for Couch DB Stats is correct. Current URL: \n\n#{@base_url}")
+    rescue OpenURI::HTTPError => e
+      if e.message.include? "401 Unauthorized"
+        status = "Stats URL access denied"
+        msg = "Please ensure the http basic auth user and password is correct. Current URL: \n\n#{@base_url}"
+      else
+        status = "Stats URL not found"
+        msg = "Please ensure the base url for Couch DB Stats is correct. Current URL: \n\n#{@base_url}"
+      end
+      error(status,msg)
     rescue SocketError
       error("Hostname is invalid","Please ensure the Couch DB Host is correct - the host could not be found. Current URL: \n\n#{@base_url}")
     end
diff --git a/couchdb_overall_monitoring/test.rb b/couchdb_overall_monitoring/test.rb
index ce39258d..68f0b38b 100644
--- a/couchdb_overall_monitoring/test.rb
+++ b/couchdb_overall_monitoring/test.rb
@@ -48,6 +48,24 @@ def test_normal_run
     end # Timecop.travel
   end
   
+  def test_basic_auth
+    FakeWeb.clean_registry
+    FakeWeb.register_uri(:get, "http://testuser:password@127.0.0.1:5984/_stats", :body => FIXTURES[:initial])
+    
+    @plugin=CouchDBOverallMonitoring.new(nil,{},{:couchdb_host=>'http://127.0.0.1',:couchdb_port=>'5984', :couchdb_user => 'testuser', :couchdb_pwd => 'password'})
+    res = @plugin.run()
+    assert res[:errors].empty?
+    assert_equal res[:memory]["_counter_database_reads"][:value], 100
+  end
+  
+  def test_not_authenticated
+    FakeWeb.clean_registry
+    FakeWeb.register_uri(:get, "http://127.0.0.1:5984/_stats", :body => "Unauthorized", :status => ["401", "Unauthorized"])
+    @plugin=CouchDBOverallMonitoring.new(nil,{},{:couchdb_host=>'http://127.0.0.1',:couchdb_port=>'5984'})
+    res = @plugin.run()
+    assert res[:errors][0][:subject] == "Stats URL access denied"
+  end
+  
   def test_not_found
     CouchDBOverallMonitoring::METRICS.each do |metric|
       uri="http://127.0.0.1:5984/_stats"