diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de0b3e9..3754a7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ Usage of shhttp:
     	If non-empty, write log files in this directory
   -logtostderr
     	log to standard error instead of files
+  -password string
+    	HTTP API password
   -port int
     	port to listen on (default 2112)
   -stderrthreshold value
diff --git a/cmd/shhttp/main.go b/cmd/shhttp/main.go
index e37e426..3f9d3e0 100644
--- a/cmd/shhttp/main.go
+++ b/cmd/shhttp/main.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ func main() {
 	cleanup := flag.Int("clean-interval", -1, "interval (hours) after which finished jobs are cleaned")
 	location := flag.String("dir", "shhttp", "location to store the job data")
 	revive := flag.Bool("revive", false, "Whether to revive previous running jobs if there are any")
+	password := flag.String("password", "", "HTTP API password")
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ func main() {
 		}()
 	}
 
-	router := pkg.GetRouter(jobStore, savedJobStore, *revive)
+	router := pkg.GetRouter(jobStore, savedJobStore, *revive, *password)
 	address := strings.Join([]string{*hostname, strconv.Itoa(*port)}, ":")
 	glog.Infof("starting HTTP listener at %s", address)
 	glog.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(address, router))
diff --git a/pkg/functions.go b/pkg/functions.go
index 0d6b6bb..0875fca 100644
--- a/pkg/functions.go
+++ b/pkg/functions.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func (j FileBasedJobStore) DeleteJob(id string) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Router {
+func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool, password string) *mux.Router {
 	router := mux.NewRouter()
 
 	jobQueue := make(chan *Job)
@@ -312,6 +312,14 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusBadRequest, writer)
 			return
 		}
+		if executable.Password != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
+		// Omit the "Password" field when marshaling if any.
+		executable.Password = ""
 		result := ExecResult{Executable: &executable}
 		Execute(&result)
 		respData, err := json.Marshal(result)
@@ -333,18 +341,47 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusBadRequest, writer)
 			return
 		}
+		if job.Password != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
+		// Omit the "Password" field when marshaling if any.
+		job.Password = ""
 		runJob(writer, request, &job, queue)
 	})
 
 	router.Path("/v1/jobs").Methods(http.MethodGet).HandlerFunc(func(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
+		q := request.URL.Query()
+		if q.Get("password") != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
 		getIds(writer, request, jobStore)
 	})
 
 	router.Path("/v1/jobs/{id}").Methods(http.MethodGet).HandlerFunc(func(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
+		q := request.URL.Query()
+		if q.Get("password") != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
 		getJob(writer, request, jobStore)
 	})
 
 	router.Path("/v1/saved").Methods(http.MethodGet).HandlerFunc(func(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
+		q := request.URL.Query()
+		if q.Get("password") != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
 		getIds(writer, request, savedJobStore)
 	})
 
@@ -357,6 +394,14 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusBadRequest, writer)
 			return
 		}
+		if job.Password != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
+		// Omit the "Password" field when marshaling if any.
+		job.Password = ""
 		if job.Id == "" {
 			job.Id = uuid.New().String()
 		}
@@ -367,6 +412,13 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 
 	router.Path("/v1/saved/{id}").Methods(http.MethodDelete).HandlerFunc(func(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
 		writeContentType(writer)
+		q := request.URL.Query()
+		if q.Get("password") != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
 		vars := mux.Vars(request)
 		id := vars["id"]
 		err := savedJobStore.DeleteJob(id)
@@ -378,6 +430,13 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 	})
 
 	router.Path("/v1/saved/{id}").Methods(http.MethodGet).HandlerFunc(func(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
+		q := request.URL.Query()
+		if q.Get("password") != password {
+			err := errors.New("password invalid");
+			glog.Error(err)
+			writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+			return
+		}
 		getJob(writer, request, savedJobStore)
 	})
 
@@ -399,6 +458,14 @@ func GetRouter(jobStore JobStore, savedJobStore JobStore, revive bool) *mux.Rout
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.Error(err)
 		} else {
+			if runBody.Password != password {
+				err := errors.New("password invalid");
+				glog.Error(err)
+				writeErrorResponse(err, http.StatusUnauthorized, writer)
+				return
+			}
+			// Omit the "Password" field when marshaling if any.
+			runBody.Password = ""
 			updateJobEnv(job, runBody.Env)
 		}
 		runJob(writer, request, job, queue)
diff --git a/pkg/structs.go b/pkg/structs.go
index 557a74b..c3c6010 100644
--- a/pkg/structs.go
+++ b/pkg/structs.go
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package pkg
 
 type Executable struct {
-	Command string
-	Args    []string
-	BaseDir string
-	Stdin   string
-	Shell   bool
-	Env     map[string]string
+	Command     string
+	Args        []string
+	BaseDir     string
+	Stdin       string
+	Shell       bool
+	Env         map[string]string
+	Password    string `json:"Password,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type ExecResult struct {
@@ -34,10 +35,12 @@ type Job struct {
 	Created      int64
 	LastModified int64
 	IgnoreErrors bool
+	Password     string `json:"Password,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type RunBody struct {
-	Env map[string]string
+	Env          map[string]string
+	Password     string `json:"Password,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type IdsResponse struct {