diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5425b1da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// Package htpasswd provides a simple authentication scheme that checks for the
+// user credential hash in an htpasswd formatted file in a configuration-determined
+// location.
+//
+// This authentication method MUST be used under TLS, as simple token-replay attack is possible.
+package htpasswd
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+
+	ctxu "github.com/docker/distribution/context"
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/auth"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+var (
+	// ErrInvalidCredential is returned when the auth token does not authenticate correctly.
+	ErrInvalidCredential = errors.New("invalid authorization credential")
+
+	// ErrAuthenticationFailure returned when authentication failure to be presented to agent.
+	ErrAuthenticationFailure = errors.New("authentication failured")
+)
+
+type accessController struct {
+	realm    string
+	htpasswd *htpasswd
+}
+
+var _ auth.AccessController = &accessController{}
+
+func newAccessController(options map[string]interface{}) (auth.AccessController, error) {
+	realm, present := options["realm"]
+	if _, ok := realm.(string); !present || !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`"realm" must be set for htpasswd access controller`)
+	}
+
+	path, present := options["path"]
+	if _, ok := path.(string); !present || !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`"path" must be set for htpasswd access controller`)
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.Open(path.(string))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	h, err := newHTPasswd(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &accessController{realm: realm.(string), htpasswd: h}, nil
+}
+
+func (ac *accessController) Authorized(ctx context.Context, accessRecords ...auth.Access) (context.Context, error) {
+	req, err := ctxu.GetRequest(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	username, password, ok := req.BasicAuth()
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, &challenge{
+			realm: ac.realm,
+			err:   ErrInvalidCredential,
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := ac.htpasswd.authenticateUser(username, password); err != nil {
+		ctxu.GetLogger(ctx).Errorf("error authenticating user %q: %v", username, err)
+		return nil, &challenge{
+			realm: ac.realm,
+			err:   ErrAuthenticationFailure,
+		}
+	}
+
+	return auth.WithUser(ctx, auth.UserInfo{Name: username}), nil
+}
+
+// challenge implements the auth.Challenge interface.
+type challenge struct {
+	realm string
+	err   error
+}
+
+func (ch *challenge) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	header := fmt.Sprintf("Basic realm=%q", ch.realm)
+	w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", header)
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+}
+
+func (ch *challenge) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("basic authentication challenge: %#v", ch)
+}
+
+func init() {
+	auth.Register("htpasswd", auth.InitFunc(newAccessController))
+}
diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea0de425
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+package htpasswd
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/context"
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/auth"
+)
+
+func TestBasicAccessController(t *testing.T) {
+	testRealm := "The-Shire"
+	testUsers := []string{"bilbo", "frodo", "MiShil", "DeokMan"}
+	testPasswords := []string{"baggins", "baggins", "새주", "공주님"}
+	testHtpasswdContent := `bilbo:{SHA}5siv5c0SHx681xU6GiSx9ZQryqs=
+							frodo:$2y$05$926C3y10Quzn/LnqQH86VOEVh/18T6RnLaS.khre96jLNL/7e.K5W
+							MiShil:$2y$05$0oHgwMehvoe8iAWS8I.7l.KoECXrwVaC16RPfaSCU5eVTFrATuMI2
+							DeokMan:공주님`
+
+	tempFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "htpasswd-test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("could not create temporary htpasswd file")
+	}
+	if _, err = tempFile.WriteString(testHtpasswdContent); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("could not write temporary htpasswd file")
+	}
+
+	options := map[string]interface{}{
+		"realm": testRealm,
+		"path":  tempFile.Name(),
+	}
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	accessController, err := newAccessController(options)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("error creating access controller")
+	}
+
+	tempFile.Close()
+
+	var userNumber = 0
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		ctx := context.WithRequest(ctx, r)
+		authCtx, err := accessController.Authorized(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			switch err := err.(type) {
+			case auth.Challenge:
+				err.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+				return
+			default:
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected error authorizing request: %v", err)
+			}
+		}
+
+		userInfo, ok := authCtx.Value("auth.user").(auth.UserInfo)
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatal("basic accessController did not set auth.user context")
+		}
+
+		if userInfo.Name != testUsers[userNumber] {
+			t.Fatalf("expected user name %q, got %q", testUsers[userNumber], userInfo.Name)
+		}
+
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
+	}))
+
+	client := &http.Client{
+		CheckRedirect: nil,
+	}
+
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", server.URL, nil)
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error during GET: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	// Request should not be authorized
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected non-fail response status: %v != %v", resp.StatusCode, http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	}
+
+	nonbcrypt := map[string]struct{}{
+		"bilbo":   {},
+		"DeokMan": {},
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(testUsers); i++ {
+		userNumber = i
+		req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", server.URL, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("error allocating new request: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		req.SetBasicAuth(testUsers[i], testPasswords[i])
+
+		resp, err = client.Do(req)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected error during GET: %v", err)
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+		if _, ok := nonbcrypt[testUsers[i]]; ok {
+			// these are not allowed.
+			// Request should be authorized
+			if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected non-success response status: %v != %v for %s %s", resp.StatusCode, http.StatusUnauthorized, testUsers[i], testPasswords[i])
+			}
+		} else {
+			// Request should be authorized
+			if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusNoContent {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected non-success response status: %v != %v for %s %s", resp.StatusCode, http.StatusNoContent, testUsers[i], testPasswords[i])
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..494ad0a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package htpasswd
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"strings"
+
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
+)
+
+// htpasswd holds a path to a system .htpasswd file and the machinery to parse
+// it. Only bcrypt hash entries are supported.
+type htpasswd struct {
+	entries map[string][]byte // maps username to password byte slice.
+}
+
+// newHTPasswd parses the reader and returns an htpasswd or an error.
+func newHTPasswd(rd io.Reader) (*htpasswd, error) {
+	entries, err := parseHTPasswd(rd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &htpasswd{entries: entries}, nil
+}
+
+// AuthenticateUser checks a given user:password credential against the
+// receiving HTPasswd's file. If the check passes, nil is returned.
+func (htpasswd *htpasswd) authenticateUser(username string, password string) error {
+	credentials, ok := htpasswd.entries[username]
+	if !ok {
+		// timing attack paranoia
+		bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte{}, []byte(password))
+
+		return ErrAuthenticationFailure
+	}
+
+	err := bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(credentials), []byte(password))
+	if err != nil {
+		return ErrAuthenticationFailure
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// parseHTPasswd parses the contents of htpasswd. This will read all the
+// entries in the file, whether or not they are needed. An error is returned
+// if an syntax errors are encountered or if the reader fails.
+func parseHTPasswd(rd io.Reader) (map[string][]byte, error) {
+	entries := map[string][]byte{}
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(rd)
+	var line int
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line++ // 1-based line numbering
+		t := strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+
+		if len(t) < 1 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// lines that *begin* with a '#' are considered comments
+		if t[0] == '#' {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		i := strings.Index(t, ":")
+		if i < 0 || i >= len(t) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("htpasswd: invalid entry at line %d: %q", line, scanner.Text())
+		}
+
+		entries[t[:i]] = []byte(t[i+1:])
+	}
+
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return entries, nil
+}
diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd_test.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..309c359a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package htpasswd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestParseHTPasswd(t *testing.T) {
+
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		desc    string
+		input   string
+		err     error
+		entries map[string][]byte
+	}{
+		{
+			desc: "basic example",
+			input: `
+# This is a comment in a basic example.
+bilbo:{SHA}5siv5c0SHx681xU6GiSx9ZQryqs=
+frodo:$2y$05$926C3y10Quzn/LnqQH86VOEVh/18T6RnLaS.khre96jLNL/7e.K5W
+MiShil:$2y$05$0oHgwMehvoe8iAWS8I.7l.KoECXrwVaC16RPfaSCU5eVTFrATuMI2
+DeokMan:공주님
+`,
+			entries: map[string][]byte{
+				"bilbo":   []byte("{SHA}5siv5c0SHx681xU6GiSx9ZQryqs="),
+				"frodo":   []byte("$2y$05$926C3y10Quzn/LnqQH86VOEVh/18T6RnLaS.khre96jLNL/7e.K5W"),
+				"MiShil":  []byte("$2y$05$0oHgwMehvoe8iAWS8I.7l.KoECXrwVaC16RPfaSCU5eVTFrATuMI2"),
+				"DeokMan": []byte("공주님"),
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "ensures comments are filtered",
+			input: `
+# asdf:asdf
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "ensure midline hash is not comment",
+			input: `
+asdf:as#df
+`,
+			entries: map[string][]byte{
+				"asdf": []byte("as#df"),
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "ensure midline hash is not comment",
+			input: `
+# A valid comment
+valid:entry
+asdf
+`,
+			err: fmt.Errorf(`htpasswd: invalid entry at line 4: "asdf"`),
+		},
+	} {
+
+		entries, err := parseHTPasswd(strings.NewReader(tc.input))
+		if err != tc.err {
+			if tc.err == nil {
+				t.Fatalf("%s: unexpected error: %v", tc.desc, err)
+			} else {
+				if err.Error() != tc.err.Error() { // use string equality here.
+					t.Fatalf("%s: expected error not returned: %v != %v", tc.desc, err, tc.err)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if tc.err != nil {
+			continue // don't test output
+		}
+
+		// allow empty and nil to be equal
+		if tc.entries == nil {
+			tc.entries = map[string][]byte{}
+		}
+
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(entries, tc.entries) {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: entries not parsed correctly: %v != %v", tc.desc, entries, tc.entries)
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/docs/handlers/app.go b/docs/handlers/app.go
index a1bac15e..f7b7c8c4 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/app.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/app.go
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ func NewApp(ctx context.Context, configuration configuration.Configuration) *App
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to configure authorization (%s): %v", authType, err))
 		}
 		app.accessController = accessController
+		ctxu.GetLogger(app).Debugf("configured %q access controller", authType)
 	}
 
 	return app