diff --git a/conf/defaults.ini b/conf/defaults.ini
index 679a6a88eb7..306c625d980 100644
--- a/conf/defaults.ini
+++ b/conf/defaults.ini
@@ -490,6 +490,10 @@ enabled = false
 enabled           = true
 interval_seconds  = 10
 
+#If both are set, basic auth will be required for the metrics endpoint.
+basic_auth_username =
+basic_auth_password =
+
 # Send internal Grafana metrics to graphite
 [metrics.graphite]
 # Enable by setting the address setting (ex localhost:2003)
diff --git a/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md b/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
index 8d156e739bf..30ef020a3de 100644
--- a/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/sources/installation/configuration.md
@@ -454,6 +454,12 @@ Ex `filters = sqlstore:debug`
 ### enabled
 Enable metrics reporting. defaults true. Available via HTTP API `/metrics`.
 
+### basic_auth_username
+If set configures the username to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
+
+### basic_auth_password
+If set configures the password to use for basic authentication on the metrics endpoint.
+
 ### interval_seconds
 
 Flush/Write interval when sending metrics to external TSDB. Defaults to 10s.
diff --git a/pkg/api/basic_auth.go b/pkg/api/basic_auth.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..376cfb24c91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/api/basic_auth.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"crypto/subtle"
+	macaron "gopkg.in/macaron.v1"
+)
+
+// BasicAuthenticatedRequest parses the provided HTTP request for basic authentication credentials
+// and returns true if the provided credentials match the expected username and password.
+// Returns false if the request is unauthenticated.
+// Uses constant-time comparison in order to mitigate timing attacks.
+func BasicAuthenticatedRequest(req macaron.Request, expectedUser, expectedPass string) bool {
+	user, pass, ok := req.BasicAuth()
+	if !ok || subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(user), []byte(expectedUser)) != 1 || subtle.ConstantTimeCompare([]byte(pass), []byte(expectedPass)) != 1 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/basic_auth_test.go b/pkg/api/basic_auth_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0b5051c3e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/api/basic_auth_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	. "github.com/smartystreets/goconvey/convey"
+	"gopkg.in/macaron.v1"
+)
+
+func TestBasicAuthenticatedRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUser := "prometheus"
+	expectedPass := "password"
+
+	Convey("Given a valid set of basic auth credentials", t, func() {
+		httpReq, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "http://localhost:3000/metrics", nil)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		req := macaron.Request{
+			Request: httpReq,
+		}
+		encodedCreds := encodeBasicAuthCredentials(expectedUser, expectedPass)
+		req.Header.Add("Authorization", fmt.Sprintf("Basic %s", encodedCreds))
+		authenticated := BasicAuthenticatedRequest(req, expectedUser, expectedPass)
+		So(authenticated, ShouldBeTrue)
+	})
+
+	Convey("Given an invalid set of basic auth credentials", t, func() {
+		httpReq, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "http://localhost:3000/metrics", nil)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		req := macaron.Request{
+			Request: httpReq,
+		}
+		encodedCreds := encodeBasicAuthCredentials("invaliduser", "invalidpass")
+		req.Header.Add("Authorization", fmt.Sprintf("Basic %s", encodedCreds))
+		authenticated := BasicAuthenticatedRequest(req, expectedUser, expectedPass)
+		So(authenticated, ShouldBeFalse)
+	})
+}
+
+func encodeBasicAuthCredentials(user, pass string) string {
+	creds := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", user, pass)
+	return base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(creds))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/http_server.go b/pkg/api/http_server.go
index ce28e4716ee..d4d7b41bec5 100644
--- a/pkg/api/http_server.go
+++ b/pkg/api/http_server.go
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) metricsEndpoint(ctx *macaron.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if hs.metricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled() && !BasicAuthenticatedRequest(ctx.Req, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername, hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword) {
+		ctx.Resp.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+
 	promhttp.HandlerFor(prometheus.DefaultGatherer, promhttp.HandlerOpts{}).
 		ServeHTTP(ctx.Resp, ctx.Req.Request)
 }
@@ -299,3 +304,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) mapStatic(m *macaron.Macaron, rootDir string, dir string,
 		},
 	))
 }
+
+func (hs *HTTPServer) metricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled() bool {
+	return hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername != "" && hs.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword != ""
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/http_server_test.go b/pkg/api/http_server_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f99ae82db5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/api/http_server_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
+	. "github.com/smartystreets/goconvey/convey"
+)
+
+func TestHTTPServer(t *testing.T) {
+	Convey("Given a HTTPServer", t, func() {
+		ts := &HTTPServer{
+			Cfg: setting.NewCfg(),
+		}
+
+		Convey("Given that basic auth on the metrics endpoint is enabled", func() {
+			ts.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername = "foo"
+			ts.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword = "bar"
+
+			So(ts.metricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled(), ShouldBeTrue)
+		})
+
+		Convey("Given that basic auth on the metrics endpoint is disabled", func() {
+			ts.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername = ""
+			ts.Cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword = ""
+
+			So(ts.metricsEndpointBasicAuthEnabled(), ShouldBeFalse)
+		})
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index 76a50eefb09..1417392fdf8 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ type Cfg struct {
 	DisableBruteForceLoginProtection bool
 	TempDataLifetime                 time.Duration
 	MetricsEndpointEnabled           bool
+	MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername string
+	MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword string
 	EnableAlphaPanels                bool
 	EnterpriseLicensePath            string
 }
@@ -681,6 +683,8 @@ func (cfg *Cfg) Load(args *CommandLineArgs) error {
 	cfg.PhantomDir = filepath.Join(HomePath, "tools/phantomjs")
 	cfg.TempDataLifetime = iniFile.Section("paths").Key("temp_data_lifetime").MustDuration(time.Second * 3600 * 24)
 	cfg.MetricsEndpointEnabled = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("enabled").MustBool(true)
+	cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthUsername = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("basic_auth_username").String()
+	cfg.MetricsEndpointBasicAuthPassword = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("basic_auth_password").String()
 
 	analytics := iniFile.Section("analytics")
 	ReportingEnabled = analytics.Key("reporting_enabled").MustBool(true)