diff --git a/gns3server/run.py b/gns3server/run.py
index fc734f91..55cc1757 100644
--- a/gns3server/run.py
+++ b/gns3server/run.py
@@ -229,6 +229,13 @@ def run():
     if server_config.getboolean("local"):
         log.warning("Local mode is enabled. Beware, clients will have full control on your filesystem")
 
+    if server_config.getboolean("auth"):
+        user = server_config.get("user", "").strip()
+        if not user:
+            log.critical("HTTP authentication is enabled but no username is configured")
+            return
+        log.info("HTTP authentication is enabled with username '{}'".format(user))
+
     # we only support Python 3 version >= 3.5
     if sys.version_info < (3, 5, 3):
         raise SystemExit("Python 3.5.3 or higher is required")
diff --git a/gns3server/web/route.py b/gns3server/web/route.py
index c2724485..132e70a7 100644
--- a/gns3server/web/route.py
+++ b/gns3server/web/route.py
@@ -111,14 +111,14 @@ class Route(object):
         user = server_config.get("user", "").strip()
         password = server_config.get("password", "").strip()
 
-        if not user:
-            return
-
-        if "AUTHORIZATION" in request.headers:
+        if user and "AUTHORIZATION" in request.headers:
             if request.headers["AUTHORIZATION"] == aiohttp.helpers.BasicAuth(user, password, "utf-8").encode():
                 return None
 
-        log.error("Invalid authentication. Username should be {}".format(user))
+        if not user:
+            log.error("HTTP authentication is enabled but no username is configured")
+        else:
+            log.error("Invalid authentication for username '{}'".format(user))
 
         response = Response(request=request, route=route)
         response.set_status(401)