diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 67db553..04ad35e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ This action makes HEAD requests to a given URL until the required response code
 
 The URL to poll. Default `"http://localhost/"`
 
-
 ### `responseCode`
 
 Response code to wait for. Default `"200"`
@@ -21,14 +20,21 @@ Timeout before giving up in milliseconds. Default `"30000"`
 
 Interval between polling in ms. Default `"1000"`
 
+### `username` / `password`
+
+For HTTP Basic Auth. Default: _empty_ 
+
 ## Example usage
-```
-uses: nev7n/wait_for_response@v1
-with:
-  url: 'http://localhost:8081/'
-  responseCode: 200
-  timeout: 2000
-  interval: 500
+
+```yaml
+- uses: nev7n/wait_for_response@v1
+  with:
+    url: 'http://localhost:8081/'
+    responseCode: 200
+    timeout: 2000
+    interval: 500
+    username: ${{ secrets.BA_USERNAME }}
+    password: ${{ secrets.BA_PASSWORD }}
 ```
 
 ## Development
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index bd7b5ee..be44a86 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ inputs:
         description: 'Interval between polling in ms'
         required: false
         default: '1000'
+    username:
+        description: 'HTTP Basic Auth username'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+    password:
+        description: 'HTTP Basic Auth password'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
 outputs:
   result:
     description: '0 if response code returned within timeout, otherwise 1'
@@ -33,3 +41,5 @@ runs:
     - -code=${{ inputs.responseCode }}
     - -timeout=${{ inputs.timeout }}
     - -interval=${{ inputs.interval }}
+    - -username=${{ inputs.username }}
+    - -password=${{ inputs.password }}
diff --git a/main/main.go b/main/main.go
index 96ce4de..c383140 100644
--- a/main/main.go
+++ b/main/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/base64"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
@@ -16,29 +17,52 @@ var (
 
 func main() {
 	var (
+		// command flags
 		url          = flag.String("url", "http://localhost/", "URL to poll")
 		responseCode = flag.Int("code", 200, "Response code to wait for")
 		timeout      = flag.Int("timeout", 30000, "Timeout before giving up in ms")
 		interval     = flag.Int("interval", 1000, "Interval between polling in ms")
 		localhost    = flag.String("localhost", "", "Ip address to use for localhost")
+		username     = flag.String("username", "", "HTTP Basic Auth: username")
+		password     = flag.String("password", "", "HTTP Basic Auth: password")
 	)
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	var (
+		// runtime
+		userAgent = fmt.Sprintf(
+			"nev7n/wait_for_response/%s (+https://github.com/nev7n/wait_for_response)",
+			version)
+
+		startTime        = time.Now()
+		timeoutDuration  = time.Duration(*timeout) * time.Millisecond
+		intervalDuration = time.Duration(*interval) * time.Millisecond
+		basicAuth        = ""
+	)
+
 	fmt.Printf("Polling URL `%s` for response code %d for up to %d ms at %d ms intervals\n",
 		*url, *responseCode, *timeout, *interval)
 
-	startTime := time.Now()
-	timeoutDuration := time.Duration(*timeout) * time.Millisecond
-	intervalDuration := time.Duration(*interval) * time.Millisecond
-
 	if *localhost != "" && strings.Contains(*url, "localhost") {
 		*url = strings.ReplaceAll(*url, "localhost", *localhost)
 	}
 
-	userAgent := fmt.Sprintf(
-		"nev7n/wait_for_response/%s (+https://github.com/nev7n/wait_for_response)",
-		version)
+	// validate both are set
+	if username != nil || password != nil {
+		if username == nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Missing username, password was set")
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		if password == nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Missing password, username was set (%s)", *username)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		basicAuth = base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(
+			fmt.Appendf(nil, "%s:%s", *username, *password))
+	}
 
 	for {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), intervalDuration)
@@ -50,6 +74,10 @@ func main() {
 		}
 		req.Header.Set("User-Agent", userAgent)
 
+		if basicAuth != "" {
+			req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Basic "+basicAuth)
+		}
+
 		client := http.Client{}
 		res, err := client.Do(req)
 		cancel()