diff --git a/servant-client/test/Servant/ClientTestUtils.hs b/servant-client/test/Servant/ClientTestUtils.hs
index 4b70a7a9..7f92fafb 100644
--- a/servant-client/test/Servant/ClientTestUtils.hs
+++ b/servant-client/test/Servant/ClientTestUtils.hs
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ basicAuthHandler =
         if username == "servant" && password == "server"
         then return (Authorized ())
         else return Unauthorized
-  in BasicAuthCheck check
+  in BasicAuthCheck True check
 
 basicServerContext :: Context '[ BasicAuthCheck () ]
 basicServerContext = basicAuthHandler :. EmptyContext
diff --git a/servant-http-streams/test/Servant/ClientSpec.hs b/servant-http-streams/test/Servant/ClientSpec.hs
index 41e7fbe4..c2a21fbe 100644
--- a/servant-http-streams/test/Servant/ClientSpec.hs
+++ b/servant-http-streams/test/Servant/ClientSpec.hs
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ basicAuthHandler =
         if username == "servant" && password == "server"
         then return (Authorized ())
         else return Unauthorized
-  in BasicAuthCheck check
+  in BasicAuthCheck True check
 
 basicServerContext :: Context '[ BasicAuthCheck () ]
 basicServerContext = basicAuthHandler :. EmptyContext
diff --git a/servant-server/src/Servant/Server.hs b/servant-server/src/Servant/Server.hs
index 5d40eb6f..a38689d2 100644
--- a/servant-server/src/Servant/Server.hs
+++ b/servant-server/src/Servant/Server.hs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ module Servant.Server
   , descendIntoNamedContext
 
   -- * Basic Authentication
-  , BasicAuthCheck(BasicAuthCheck, unBasicAuthCheck)
+  , BasicAuthCheck(BasicAuthCheck, basicAuthRunCheck, basicAuthPresentChallenge)
   , BasicAuthResult(..)
 
   -- * General Authentication
diff --git a/servant-server/src/Servant/Server/Internal/BasicAuth.hs b/servant-server/src/Servant/Server/Internal/BasicAuth.hs
index b92e4b02..6c68d10a 100644
--- a/servant-server/src/Servant/Server/Internal/BasicAuth.hs
+++ b/servant-server/src/Servant/Server/Internal/BasicAuth.hs
@@ -44,9 +44,12 @@ data BasicAuthResult usr
   deriving (Eq, Show, Read, Generic, Typeable, Functor)
 
 -- | Datatype wrapping a function used to check authentication.
-newtype BasicAuthCheck usr = BasicAuthCheck
-  { unBasicAuthCheck :: BasicAuthData
-                     -> IO (BasicAuthResult usr)
+data BasicAuthCheck usr 
+  = BasicAuthCheck
+  { basicAuthPresentChallenge :: Bool
+    -- ^ Decides if we'll send a @WWW-Authenticate@ HTTP header. Sending the header causes browser to 
+    -- surface a prompt for user name and password, which may be undesirable for APIs.
+  , basicAuthRunCheck :: BasicAuthData -> IO (BasicAuthResult usr)
   }
   deriving (Generic, Typeable, Functor)
 
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ decodeBAHdr req = do
 -- | Run and check basic authentication, returning the appropriate http error per
 -- the spec.
 runBasicAuth :: Request -> BS.ByteString -> BasicAuthCheck usr -> DelayedIO usr
-runBasicAuth req realm (BasicAuthCheck ba) =
+runBasicAuth req realm (BasicAuthCheck presentChallenge ba) =
   case decodeBAHdr req of
      Nothing -> plzAuthenticate
      Just e  -> liftIO (ba e) >>= \res -> case res of
@@ -76,4 +79,6 @@ runBasicAuth req realm (BasicAuthCheck ba) =
        NoSuchUser     -> plzAuthenticate
        Unauthorized   -> delayedFailFatal err403
        Authorized usr -> return usr
-  where plzAuthenticate = delayedFailFatal err401 { errHeaders = [mkBAChallengerHdr realm] }
+  where 
+    plzAuthenticate = 
+      delayedFailFatal err401 { errHeaders = [mkBAChallengerHdr realm | presentChallenge] }
diff --git a/servant-server/test/Servant/Server/ErrorSpec.hs b/servant-server/test/Servant/Server/ErrorSpec.hs
index 72251b21..b9a8f2bf 100644
--- a/servant-server/test/Servant/Server/ErrorSpec.hs
+++ b/servant-server/test/Servant/Server/ErrorSpec.hs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ errorOrderAuthCheck =
         if username == "servant" && password == "server"
         then return (Authorized ())
         else return Unauthorized
-  in BasicAuthCheck check
+  in BasicAuthCheck True check
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- * Error Order {{{
diff --git a/servant-server/test/Servant/ServerSpec.hs b/servant-server/test/Servant/ServerSpec.hs
index e3dec48e..09419ac4 100644
--- a/servant-server/test/Servant/ServerSpec.hs
+++ b/servant-server/test/Servant/ServerSpec.hs
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ basicAuthServer =
 
 basicAuthContext :: Context '[ BasicAuthCheck () ]
 basicAuthContext =
-  let basicHandler = BasicAuthCheck $ \(BasicAuthData usr pass) ->
+  let basicHandler = BasicAuthCheck True $ \(BasicAuthData usr pass) ->
         if usr == "servant" && pass == "server"
           then return (Authorized ())
           else return Unauthorized