diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 541d4107..37757b21 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2901,6 +2901,15 @@ void authCommand(client *c) {
      * will just use "default" as username. */
     robj *username, *password;
     if (c->argc == 2) {
+        /* Mimic the old behavior of giving an error for the two commands
+         * from if no password is configured. */
+        if (DefaultUser->flags & USER_FLAG_NOPASS) {
+            addReplyError(c,"AUTH <password> called without any password "
+                            "configured for the default user. Are you sure "
+                            "your configuration is correct?");
+            return;
+        }
+
         username = createStringObject("default",7);
         password = c->argv[1];
     } else {
@@ -2909,11 +2918,11 @@ void authCommand(client *c) {
     }
 
     if (ACLCheckUserCredentials(username,password) == C_OK) {
-      c->authenticated = 1;
-      c->user = ACLGetUserByName(username->ptr,sdslen(username->ptr));
-      addReply(c,shared.ok);
+        c->authenticated = 1;
+        c->user = ACLGetUserByName(username->ptr,sdslen(username->ptr));
+        addReply(c,shared.ok);
     } else {
-      addReplyError(c,"-WRONGPASS invalid username-password pair");
+        addReplyError(c,"-WRONGPASS invalid username-password pair");
     }
 
     /* Free the "default" string object we created for the two
diff --git a/tests/unit/auth.tcl b/tests/unit/auth.tcl
index 633cda95..9080d4bf 100644
--- a/tests/unit/auth.tcl
+++ b/tests/unit/auth.tcl
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ start_server {tags {"auth"}} {
     test {AUTH fails if there is no password configured server side} {
         catch {r auth foo} err
         set _ $err
-    } {ERR*no password*}
+    } {ERR*any password*}
 }
 
 start_server {tags {"auth"} overrides {requirepass foobar}} {
     test {AUTH fails when a wrong password is given} {
         catch {r auth wrong!} err
         set _ $err
-    } {ERR*invalid password}
+    } {WRONGPASS*}
 
     test {Arbitrary command gives an error when AUTH is required} {
         catch {r set foo bar} err