diff --git a/Classes/BITAuthenticator.m b/Classes/BITAuthenticator.m
index 2019bc1427..e444f7fe25 100644
--- a/Classes/BITAuthenticator.m
+++ b/Classes/BITAuthenticator.m
@@ -201,6 +201,15 @@ static NSString* const kBITAuthenticatorLastAuthenticatedVersionKey = @"BITAuthe
     BITHockeyLog(@"Already authenticating. Ignoring request");
     return;
   }
+  if(_authenticationType == BITAuthenticatorAuthTypeEmail && (nil == _authenticationSecret || !_authenticationSecret.length)) {
+    if(completion) {
+      NSError *error = [NSError errorWithDomain:kBITAuthenticatorErrorDomain
+                                           code:BITAuthenticatorAuthorizationSecretMissing
+                                       userInfo:@{NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: @"Authentication secret is not set but required."}];
+      completion(nil, error);
+    }
+    return;
+  }
 
   BITAuthenticationViewController *viewController = [[BITAuthenticationViewController alloc] initWithDelegate:self];
   switch (self.authenticationType) {
diff --git a/Classes/HockeySDK.h b/Classes/HockeySDK.h
index a76689a769..15d77c4929 100644
--- a/Classes/HockeySDK.h
+++ b/Classes/HockeySDK.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ typedef NS_ENUM(NSInteger, BITAuthenticatorReason) {
   BITAuthenticatorAPIServerReturnedInvalidRespone,
   BITAuthenticatorNotAuthorized,
   BITAuthenticatorAuthenticationCancelled,
+  BITAuthenticatorAuthorizationSecretMissing,
 };
 extern NSString *const __attribute__((unused)) kBITAuthenticatorErrorDomain;
 
diff --git a/Support/HockeySDKTests/BITAuthenticatorTests.m b/Support/HockeySDKTests/BITAuthenticatorTests.m
index 71bcf03208..7405b51630 100644
--- a/Support/HockeySDKTests/BITAuthenticatorTests.m
+++ b/Support/HockeySDKTests/BITAuthenticatorTests.m
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ static void *kInstallationIdentification = &kInstallationIdentification;
   [super setUp];
   
   _sut = [[BITAuthenticator alloc] initWithAppIdentifier:nil isAppStoreEnvironemt:NO];
+  _sut.authenticationType = BITAuthenticatorAuthTypeEmailAndPassword;
 }
 
 - (void)tearDown {
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ static void *kInstallationIdentification = &kInstallationIdentification;
 - (void) testThatAuthenticateWithTypeEmailShowsAViewController {
   id delegateMock = mockProtocol(@protocol(BITAuthenticatorDelegate));
   _sut.delegate = delegateMock;
+  _sut.authenticationSecret = @"myscret";
   _sut.authenticationType = BITAuthenticatorAuthTypeEmail;
   
   [_sut authenticateWithCompletion:nil];
@@ -136,6 +138,18 @@ static void *kInstallationIdentification = &kInstallationIdentification;
   [verifyCount(delegateMock, times(1)) authenticator:_sut willShowAuthenticationController:(id)anything()];
 }
 
+- (void) testThatAuthenticateWithTypeEmailShowsAViewControllerOnlyIfAuthenticationSecretIsSet {
+  id delegateMock = mockProtocol(@protocol(BITAuthenticatorDelegate));
+  _sut.delegate = delegateMock;
+  _sut.authenticationSecret = nil;
+  _sut.authenticationType = BITAuthenticatorAuthTypeEmail;
+  
+  [_sut authenticateWithCompletion:nil];
+  
+  [verifyCount(delegateMock, times(0)) authenticator:_sut willShowAuthenticationController:(id)anything()];
+}
+
+
 - (void) testThatAuthenticateWithTypeEmailAndPasswordShowsAViewController {
   id delegateMock = mockProtocol(@protocol(BITAuthenticatorDelegate));
   _sut.delegate = delegateMock;