diff --git a/docs/auth/auth.go b/docs/auth/auth.go
index 0ba2eba3..0164246c 100644
--- a/docs/auth/auth.go
+++ b/docs/auth/auth.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 package auth
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
@@ -49,6 +50,14 @@ const (
 	UserNameKey = "auth.user.name"
 )
 
+var (
+	// ErrInvalidCredential is returned when the auth token does not authenticate correctly.
+	ErrInvalidCredential = errors.New("invalid authorization credential")
+
+	// ErrAuthenticationFailure returned when authentication failure to be presented to agent.
+	ErrAuthenticationFailure = errors.New("authentication failure")
+)
+
 // UserInfo carries information about
 // an autenticated/authorized client.
 type UserInfo struct {
@@ -97,6 +106,11 @@ type AccessController interface {
 	Authorized(ctx context.Context, access ...Access) (context.Context, error)
 }
 
+// CredentialAuthenticator is an object which is able to validate credentials
+type CredentialAuthenticator interface {
+	AuthenticateUser(username, password string) error
+}
+
 // WithUser returns a context with the authorized user info.
 func WithUser(ctx context.Context, user UserInfo) context.Context {
 	return userInfoContext{
diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go
index 6e7ba180..4f71dc27 100644
--- a/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/access.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 package htpasswd
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -15,14 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/auth"
 )
 
-var (
-	// ErrInvalidCredential is returned when the auth token does not authenticate correctly.
-	ErrInvalidCredential = errors.New("invalid authorization credential")
-
-	// ErrAuthenticationFailure returned when authentication failure to be presented to agent.
-	ErrAuthenticationFailure = errors.New("authentication failure")
-)
-
 type accessController struct {
 	realm    string
 	htpasswd *htpasswd
@@ -65,21 +56,25 @@ func (ac *accessController) Authorized(ctx context.Context, accessRecords ...aut
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, &challenge{
 			realm: ac.realm,
-			err:   ErrInvalidCredential,
+			err:   auth.ErrInvalidCredential,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := ac.htpasswd.authenticateUser(username, password); err != nil {
+	if err := ac.AuthenticateUser(username, password); err != nil {
 		context.GetLogger(ctx).Errorf("error authenticating user %q: %v", username, err)
 		return nil, &challenge{
 			realm: ac.realm,
-			err:   ErrAuthenticationFailure,
+			err:   auth.ErrAuthenticationFailure,
 		}
 	}
 
 	return auth.WithUser(ctx, auth.UserInfo{Name: username}), nil
 }
 
+func (ac *accessController) AuthenticateUser(username, password string) error {
+	return ac.htpasswd.authenticateUser(username, password)
+}
+
 // challenge implements the auth.Challenge interface.
 type challenge struct {
 	realm string
diff --git a/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go
index 494ad0a7..83f797f7 100644
--- a/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go
+++ b/docs/auth/htpasswd/htpasswd.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/auth"
+
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 )
 
@@ -33,12 +35,12 @@ func (htpasswd *htpasswd) authenticateUser(username string, password string) err
 		// timing attack paranoia
 		bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte{}, []byte(password))
 
-		return ErrAuthenticationFailure
+		return auth.ErrAuthenticationFailure
 	}
 
 	err := bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(credentials), []byte(password))
 	if err != nil {
-		return ErrAuthenticationFailure
+		return auth.ErrAuthenticationFailure
 	}
 
 	return nil