diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 44cc4199..75275555 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * Module dependencies.
  */
 
+var async = require('async');
 var express = require('express.oi');
 var favicon = require('serve-favicon');
 var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ var path = require('path');
 var util = require(__dirname + '/util.js');
 var mkdirp = require('mkdirp');
 var proxy = require('express-http-proxy');
+var basicAuth = require('basic-auth-connect');
 
 var app = express().http().io();
 
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ var sessionOpts = {
 };
 app.io.session(sessionOpts);
 
-app.io.set('authorization', function(handshakeData, accept) {
+app.io.set('authorization', function handleAuth(handshakeData, accept) {
   // accept all requests
   accept(null, true);
 });
@@ -30,8 +32,18 @@ app.io.set('authorization', function(handshakeData, accept) {
 // fetch the config directory
 app.set('configDir', process.env.configDir || __dirname);
 
-// make sure the dbs directory is present
-mkdirp(app.get('configDir') + '/dbs/covers', function() {
+// all variables to be shared throughout the app
+app.set('port', process.env.PORT || 2000);
+app.set('views', path.join(__dirname, 'views'));
+app.set('view engine', 'html');
+app.set('root', __dirname);
+app.set('started', Date.now());
+app.engine('html', require('swig').renderFile);
+
+async.series([function createDatabaseDirectory(next) {
+  // make sure the dbs directory is present
+  mkdirp(app.get('configDir') + '/dbs/covers', next);
+}, function databaseDirectoryCreated(next) {
   // attach the db to the app
   require(__dirname + '/db.js')(app);
 
@@ -40,38 +52,47 @@ mkdirp(app.get('configDir') + '/dbs/covers', function() {
 
   // attach the config
   app.set('config', require(__dirname + '/config')(app));
-});
 
-// all environments
-app.set('port', process.env.PORT || 2000);
-app.set('views', path.join(__dirname, 'views'));
-app.set('view engine', 'html');
-app.set('root', __dirname);
-app.set('started', Date.now());
-app.engine('html', require('swig').renderFile);
-app.use(favicon(__dirname + '/static/images/favicon.ico'));
-app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: false}));
-app.use(bodyParser.json());
-app.use(cookieParser());
-app.use(express.session(sessionOpts));
-app.use('/static', express.static(__dirname + '/static'));
-
-// proxy for itunes requests
-app.use('/proxy', proxy('https://itunes.apple.com', {
-  forwardPath: function(req, res) {
-    return require('url').parse(req.url).path;
-  },
-}));
-
-// development only
-if (app.get('env') == 'development') {
-  app.use(errorhandler());
-}
-
-require(__dirname + '/routes').createRoutes(app);
-
-app.listen(app.get('port'), function() {
-  console.log('Express server listening on port ' + app.get('port'));
-});
+  next();
+}, function setupAuth(next) {
+  var config = app.get('config');
+
+  // auth is only intended for use outside of electron
+  if (config.auth &&
+      config.auth.username !== undefined &&
+      config.auth.password !== undefined &&
+      !process.env.ELECTRON_ENABLED) {
+    app.use(basicAuth(config.auth.username, config.auth.password));
+  }
+  next();
+}, function setupEverythinElse(next) {
+  // middleware to use in the app
+  app.use(favicon(__dirname + '/static/images/favicon.ico'));
+  app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: false}));
+  app.use(bodyParser.json());
+  app.use(cookieParser());
+  app.use(express.session(sessionOpts));
+  app.use('/static', express.static(__dirname + '/static'));
+
+  // proxy for itunes requests
+  app.use('/proxy', proxy('https://itunes.apple.com', {
+    forwardPath: function (req, res) {
+      return require('url').parse(req.url).path;
+    },
+  }));
+
+  // development only
+  if (app.get('env') == 'development') {
+    app.use(errorhandler());
+  }
+
+  require(__dirname + '/routes').createRoutes(app);
+
+  app.listen(app.get('port'), function () {
+    console.log('Express server listening on port ' + app.get('port'));
+  });
+
+  next();
+}]);
 
 module.exports = app;
diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index 208cba48..48a37574 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ function Config(app) {
     parallel_download: 5,
   };
 
+  // // Uncomment this block to set your own basic http authentication
+  // this.auth = {
+  //   username: 'username',
+  //   password: 'password',
+  // };
+
   // used for itunes metadata fetching (to select the store to search)
   this.country_code = 'us';
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a1ac50af..57c97d2a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "archiver": "^1.0.0",
     "async": "*",
+    "basic-auth-connect": "^1.0.0",
     "body-parser": "^1.14.1",
     "cookie-parser": "^1.4.0",
     "errorhandler": "^1.4.2",