diff --git a/openai_api.py b/openai_api.py
index fafd8f0..e9674bc 100644
--- a/openai_api.py
+++ b/openai_api.py
@@ -19,8 +19,29 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 from sse_starlette.sse import EventSourceResponse
 from transformers import AutoTokenizer, AutoModelForCausalLM
 from transformers.generation import GenerationConfig
-
-
+from starlette.middleware.base import BaseHTTPMiddleware
+from starlette.requests import Request
+from starlette.responses import Response
+import base64
+
+class BasicAuthMiddleware(BaseHTTPMiddleware):
+    def __init__(self, app, username: str, password: str):
+        super().__init__(app)
+        self.required_credentials = base64.b64encode(f"{username}:{password}".encode()).decode()
+
+    async def dispatch(self, request: Request, call_next):
+        authorization: str = request.headers.get("Authorization")
+        if authorization:
+            try:
+                schema, credentials = authorization.split()
+                if credentials == self.required_credentials:
+                    return await call_next(request)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+        
+        headers = {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic'}
+        return Response(status_code=401, headers=headers)
+    
 def _gc(forced: bool = False):
     global args
     if args.disable_gc and not forced:
@@ -482,6 +503,9 @@ def _get_args():
         default="Qwen/Qwen-7B-Chat",
         help="Checkpoint name or path, default to %(default)r",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--api-auth", help="API authentication credentials"
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--cpu-only", action="store_true", help="Run demo with CPU only"
     )
@@ -511,6 +535,11 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         resume_download=True,
     )
 
+    if args.api_auth:
+        app.add_middleware(
+            BasicAuthMiddleware, username=args.api_auth.split(":")[0], password=args.api_auth.split(":")[1]
+        )
+
     if args.cpu_only:
         device_map = "cpu"
     else: