diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/api_error.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/api_error.rs
index 8c08529..0c2f8f4 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/api_error.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/api_error.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,11 @@ impl ApiError {
     }
 
     pub const fn unathorized() -> Self {
-        Self::new_from_text(StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED, "unauthorized")
+        Self {
+            status: Some(StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED),
+            kind: ApiErrorKind::Unauthorized,
+            plaintext: true,
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn status(&self) -> StatusCode {
@@ -84,6 +88,7 @@ impl ApiError {
 enum ApiErrorKind {
     TorrentNotFound(TorrentIdOrHash),
     DhtDisabled,
+    Unauthorized,
     Text(&'static str),
     Other(anyhow::Error),
 }
@@ -106,6 +111,7 @@ impl Serialize for ApiError {
             error_kind: match self.kind {
                 ApiErrorKind::TorrentNotFound(_) => "torrent_not_found",
                 ApiErrorKind::DhtDisabled => "dht_disabled",
+                ApiErrorKind::Unauthorized => "unathorized",
                 ApiErrorKind::Other(_) => "internal_error",
                 ApiErrorKind::Text(_) => "internal_error",
             },
@@ -146,6 +152,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for ApiError {
         match &self.kind {
             ApiErrorKind::TorrentNotFound(idx) => write!(f, "torrent {idx} not found"),
             ApiErrorKind::Other(err) => write!(f, "{err:?}"),
+            ApiErrorKind::Unauthorized => write!(f, "unathorized"),
             ApiErrorKind::DhtDisabled => write!(f, "DHT is disabled"),
             ApiErrorKind::Text(t) => write!(f, "{t}"),
         }
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/http_api.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/http_api.rs
index acd008c..bd229be 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/http_api.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/http_api.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,13 @@ async fn simple_basic_auth(
         .and_then(|v| String::from_utf8(v).ok());
     let user_pass = match user_pass {
         Some(user_pass) => user_pass,
-        None => return Err(ApiError::unathorized()),
+        None => {
+            return Ok((
+                StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED,
+                [("WWW-Authenticate", "Basic realm=\"API\"")],
+            )
+                .into_response())
+        }
     };
     // TODO: constant time compare
     match user_pass.split_once(':') {