diff --git a/src/ESPUI.cpp b/src/ESPUI.cpp
index 7344b90..898095f 100644
--- a/src/ESPUI.cpp
+++ b/src/ESPUI.cpp
@@ -681,7 +681,8 @@ void ESPUIClass::beginSPIFFS(const char *_title, const char *username,
     basicAuthPassword = password;
     basicAuthUsername = username;
     basicAuth = true;
-    ws->setAuthentication(this->basicAuthUsername, this->basicAuthPassword);
+    if (WS_AUTHENTICATION)
+      ws->setAuthentication(this->basicAuthUsername, this->basicAuthPassword);
     server->serveStatic("/", SPIFFS, "/")
         .setDefaultFile("index.htm")
         .setAuthentication(ESPUI.basicAuthUsername, ESPUI.basicAuthPassword);
@@ -737,7 +738,8 @@ void ESPUIClass::begin(const char *_title, const char *username,
     basicAuthPassword = password;
     basicAuthUsername = username;
     basicAuth = true;
-    ws->setAuthentication(this->basicAuthUsername, this->basicAuthPassword);
+    if (WS_AUTHENTICATION)
+      ws->setAuthentication(this->basicAuthUsername, this->basicAuthPassword);
 
   } else if (basicAuth) {
     Serial.println(
diff --git a/src/ESPUI.h b/src/ESPUI.h
index 0fddd4a..fe04e31 100644
--- a/src/ESPUI.h
+++ b/src/ESPUI.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define ESPUI_h
 
 #define DEBUG_ESPUI true
+#define WS_AUTHENTICATION false
 
 #include "Arduino.h"
 #include "ArduinoJson.h"