diff --git a/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md b/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
index 08bf461f0b5..30ef020a3de 100644
--- a/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
@@ -454,14 +454,11 @@ Ex `filters = sqlstore:debug`
 ### enabled
 Enable metrics reporting. defaults true. Available via HTTP API `/metrics`.
 
-### basic_auth_enabled
-Enables basic authentication on the metrics endpoint. Defaults to false.
-
 ### basic_auth_username
-Username to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
+If set configures the username to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
 
 ### basic_auth_password
-Password to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
+If set configures the password to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
 
 ### interval_seconds
 
diff --git a/pkg/api/http_server.go b/pkg/api/http_server.go
index ba7cb2c425b..70feb44268d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/http_server.go
+++ b/pkg/api/http_server.go
@@ -246,11 +246,11 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) metricsEndpoint(ctx *macaron.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled {
-		if !util.BasicAuthenticatedRequest(ctx.Req, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword) {
-			ctx.Resp.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
-			return
-		}
+	if hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername != "" &&
+		hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword != "" &&
+		!util.BasicAuthenticatedRequest(ctx.Req, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword) {
+		ctx.Resp.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
 	}
 
 	promhttp.HandlerFor(prometheus.DefaultGatherer, promhttp.HandlerOpts{}).
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index 33c7fd965ce..03fc4240140 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -215,7 +215,6 @@ type Cfg struct {
 	DisableBruteForceLoginProtection bool
 	TempDataLifetime                 time.Duration
 	MetricsEndpointEnabled           bool
-	MetricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled  bool
 	MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername string
 	MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword string
 	EnableAlphaPanels                bool
@@ -679,7 +678,6 @@ func (cfg *Cfg) Load(args *CommandLineArgs) error {
 	cfg.PhantomDir = filepath.Join(HomePath, "tools/phantomjs")
 	cfg.TempDataLifetime = iniFile.Section("paths").Key("temp_data_lifetime").MustDuration(time.Second * 3600 * 24)
 	cfg.MetricsEndpointEnabled = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("enabled").MustBool(true)
-	cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("basic_auth_enabled").MustBool(true)
 	cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("basic_auth_username").String()
 	cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("basic_auth_password").String()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/auth.go b/pkg/util/auth.go
index 41165e42927..723cc79e244 100644
--- a/pkg/util/auth.go
+++ b/pkg/util/auth.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 // Uses constant-time comparison in order to mitigate timing attacks.
 func BasicAuthenticatedRequest(req macaron.Request, expectedUser, expectedPass string) bool {
 	user, pass, ok := req.BasicAuth()
-	if !ok ||  subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(user), []byte(expectedUser)) != 1 || subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(pass), []byte(expectedPass)) != 1 {
+	if !ok || subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(user), []byte(expectedUser)) != 1 || subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(pass), []byte(expectedPass)) != 1 {
 		return false
 	}