diff --git a/src/http.c b/src/http.c
index 51e895b9..a1598a5a 100644
--- a/src/http.c
+++ b/src/http.c
@@ -1885,7 +1885,7 @@ initialize_request (struct url *u, struct http_stat *hs, int *dt, struct url *pr
   /* We only do "site-wide" authentication with "global" user/password
    * values unless --auth-no-challange has been requested; URL user/password
    * info overrides. */
-  if (user && *passwd && (!u->user || opt.auth_without_challenge))
+  if (*user && *passwd && (!u->user || opt.auth_without_challenge))
     {
       /* If this is a host for which we've already received a Basic
        * challenge, we'll go ahead and send Basic authentication creds. */