diff --git a/cmd/registry/config-example.yml b/cmd/registry/config-example.yml
index 3277f9a2e..c760cd567 100644
--- a/cmd/registry/config-example.yml
+++ b/cmd/registry/config-example.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ http:
   addr: :5000
   headers:
     X-Content-Type-Options: [nosniff]
+auth:
+  htpasswd:
+    realm: basic-realm
+    path: /etc/registry
 health:
   storagedriver:
     enabled: true
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index c7f9023fb..9bf89d8c9 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -553,6 +553,7 @@ The `auth` option is **optional**. Possible auth providers include:
 - [`silly`](#silly)
 - [`token`](#token)
 - [`htpasswd`](#htpasswd)
+- [`none`]
 
 You can configure only one authentication provider.
 
@@ -598,6 +599,9 @@ The only supported password format is
 are ignored. The `htpasswd` file is loaded once, at startup. If the file is
 invalid, the registry will display an error and will not start.
 
+> **Warning**: If the `htpasswd` file is missing, the file will be created and provisioned with a default user and automatically generated password.
+> The password will be printed to stdout.
+
 > **Warning**: Only use the `htpasswd` authentication scheme with TLS
 > configured, since basic authentication sends passwords as part of the HTTP
 > header.
diff --git a/registry/auth/htpasswd/access.go b/registry/auth/htpasswd/access.go
index 8f40913b3..034c503a0 100644
--- a/registry/auth/htpasswd/access.go
+++ b/registry/auth/htpasswd/access.go
@@ -7,9 +7,13 @@ package htpasswd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"encoding/base64"
 	"fmt"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -33,12 +37,15 @@ func newAccessController(options map[string]interface{}) (auth.AccessController,
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`"realm" must be set for htpasswd access controller`)
 	}
 
-	path, present := options["path"]
-	if _, ok := path.(string); !present || !ok {
+	pathOpt, present := options["path"]
+	path, ok := pathOpt.(string)
+	if !present || !ok {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`"path" must be set for htpasswd access controller`)
 	}
-
-	return &accessController{realm: realm.(string), path: path.(string)}, nil
+	if err := createHtpasswdFile(path); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &accessController{realm: realm.(string), path: path}, nil
 }
 
 func (ac *accessController) Authorized(ctx context.Context, accessRecords ...auth.Access) (context.Context, error) {
@@ -111,6 +118,42 @@ func (ch challenge) Error() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("basic authentication challenge for realm %q: %s", ch.realm, ch.err)
 }
 
+// createHtpasswdFile creates and populates htpasswd file with a new user in case the file is missing
+func createHtpasswdFile(path string) error {
+	if f, err := os.Open(path); err == nil {
+		f.Close()
+		return nil
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0700); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0600)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to open htpasswd path %s", err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	var secretBytes [32]byte
+	if _, err := rand.Read(secretBytes[:]); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	pass := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(secretBytes[:])
+	encryptedPass, err := bcrypt.GenerateFromPassword([]byte(pass), bcrypt.DefaultCost)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, err := f.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("docker:%s", string(encryptedPass[:])))); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	dcontext.GetLoggerWithFields(context.Background(), map[interface{}]interface{}{
+		"user":     "docker",
+		"password": pass,
+	}).Warnf("htpasswd is missing, provisioning with default user")
+	return nil
+}
+
 func init() {
 	auth.Register("htpasswd", auth.InitFunc(newAccessController))
 }
diff --git a/registry/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go b/registry/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go
index 553f05cf9..7a3d411e8 100644
--- a/registry/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go
+++ b/registry/auth/htpasswd/access_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 package htpasswd
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/context"
@@ -120,3 +122,41 @@ func TestBasicAccessController(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 }
+
+func TestCreateHtpasswdFile(t *testing.T) {
+	tempFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "htpasswd-test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("could not create temporary htpasswd file %v", err)
+	}
+	defer tempFile.Close()
+	options := map[string]interface{}{
+		"realm": "/auth/htpasswd",
+		"path":  tempFile.Name(),
+	}
+	// Ensure file is not populated
+	if _, err := newAccessController(options); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error creating access controller %v", err)
+	}
+	content, err := ioutil.ReadAll(tempFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read file %v", err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal([]byte{}, content) {
+		t.Fatalf("htpasswd file should not be populated %v", string(content))
+	}
+	if err := os.Remove(tempFile.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to remove temp file %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Ensure htpasswd file is populated
+	if _, err := newAccessController(options); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error creating access controller %v", err)
+	}
+	content, err = ioutil.ReadFile(tempFile.Name())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read file %v", err)
+	}
+	if !bytes.HasPrefix(content, []byte("docker:$2a$")) {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to find default user in file %s", string(content))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/registry/handlers/app.go b/registry/handlers/app.go
index e38050cb7..cfbb8d5f4 100644
--- a/registry/handlers/app.go
+++ b/registry/handlers/app.go
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ func NewApp(ctx context.Context, config *configuration.Configuration) *App {
 
 	authType := config.Auth.Type()
 
-	if authType != "" {
+	if authType != "" && !strings.EqualFold(authType, "none") {
 		accessController, err := auth.GetAccessController(config.Auth.Type(), config.Auth.Parameters())
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to configure authorization (%s): %v", authType, err))