diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index a4bc770e2d..008ad72ae5 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -279,8 +279,6 @@ static CURL *get_curl_handle(void)
 	curl_easy_setopt(result, CURLOPT_HTTPAUTH, CURLAUTH_ANY);
 #endif
 
-	init_curl_http_auth(result);
-
 	if (ssl_cert != NULL)
 		curl_easy_setopt(result, CURLOPT_SSLCERT, ssl_cert);
 	if (has_cert_password())
@@ -846,7 +844,7 @@ static int http_request(const char *url, void *result, int target, int options)
 		else if (missing_target(&results))
 			ret = HTTP_MISSING_TARGET;
 		else if (results.http_code == 401) {
-			if (user_name) {
+			if (user_name && user_pass) {
 				ret = HTTP_NOAUTH;
 			} else {
 				/*
@@ -855,7 +853,8 @@ static int http_request(const char *url, void *result, int target, int options)
 				 * but that is non-portable.  Using git_getpass() can at least be stubbed
 				 * on other platforms with a different implementation if/when necessary.
 				 */
-				user_name = xstrdup(git_getpass_with_description("Username", description));
+				if (!user_name)
+					user_name = xstrdup(git_getpass_with_description("Username", description));
 				init_curl_http_auth(slot->curl);
 				ret = HTTP_REAUTH;
 			}