diff --git a/contrib/init.debian b/contrib/init.debian
index 5c10bdf..163b7ef 100755
--- a/contrib/init.debian
+++ b/contrib/init.debian
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ WEB_PORT=8080
 # Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
 [ -f /etc/default/rcS ] && . /etc/default/rcS
 
-DAEMON_OPT="--user $YMPD_USER --webport $WEB_PORT --host $MPD_HOST --port $MPD_PORT"
+DAEMON_OPT="--user $YMPD_USER --mpdpass '$MPD_PASSWORD' --webport $WEB_PORT --host $MPD_HOST --port $MPD_PORT"
 
 do_start()
 {
diff --git a/contrib/ympd.default b/contrib/ympd.default
index c7bbcda..e5e7c74 100644
--- a/contrib/ympd.default
+++ b/contrib/ympd.default
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 MPD_HOST=localhost
 MPD_PORT=6600
+MPD_PASSWORD=
 WEB_PORT=8080
 YMPD_USER=nobody
diff --git a/contrib/ympd.service b/contrib/ympd.service
index 2289550..023b926 100644
--- a/contrib/ympd.service
+++ b/contrib/ympd.service
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ Requires=network.target local-fs.target
 [Service]
 Environment=MPD_HOST=localhost
 Environment=MPD_PORT=6600
+Environment=MPD_PASSWORD=
 Environment=WEB_PORT=8080
 Environment=YMPD_USER=nobody
 EnvironmentFile=/etc/default/ympd
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/ympd --user $YMPD_USER --webport $WEB_PORT --host $MPD_HOST --port $MPD_PORT
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/ympd --user $YMPD_USER --mpdpass "$MPD_PASSWORD" --webport $WEB_PORT --host $MPD_HOST --port $MPD_PORT
 Type=simple
 
 [Install]
diff --git a/src/ympd.c b/src/ympd.c
index afa25c6..304f5b8 100644
--- a/src/ympd.c
+++ b/src/ympd.c
@@ -87,10 +87,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         {"user",         required_argument, 0, 'u'},
         {"version",      no_argument,       0, 'v'},
         {"help",         no_argument,       0,  0 },
+        {"mpdpass",      required_argument, 0, 'm'},
         {0,              0,                 0,  0 }
     };
 
-    while((n = getopt_long(argc, argv, "h:p:w:u:v",
+    while((n = getopt_long(argc, argv, "h:p:w:u:vm:",
                 long_options, &option_index)) != -1) {
         switch (n) {
             case 'h':
@@ -105,6 +106,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             case 'u':
                 run_as_user = strdup(optarg);
                 break;
+            case 'm':
+                mpd.password = strdup(optarg);
+                break;
             case 'v':
                 fprintf(stdout, "ympd  %d.%d.%d\n"
                         "Copyright (C) 2014 Andrew Karpow <andy@ndyk.de>\n"
@@ -119,6 +123,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                         " -w, --webport [ip:]<port>\tlisten interface/port for webserver [8080]\n"
                         " -u, --user <username>\t\tdrop priviliges to user after socket bind\n"
                         " -V, --version\t\t\tget version\n"
+                        " -m, --mpdpass <password>\tspecifies the password to use when connecting to mpd\n"
                         " --help\t\t\t\tthis help\n"
                         , argv[0]);
                 return EXIT_FAILURE;
diff --git a/ympd.1 b/ympd.1
index d94ed30..c8160a6 100644
--- a/ympd.1
+++ b/ympd.1
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ specifies the port for the webserver to listen to, defaults to 8080
 \fB\-u\fR, \fB\-\-user username\fR
 drop privileges to the provided username after socket binding
 .TP
+\fB\-m\fR, \fB\-\-mpdpass password\fR
+specifies the password to use when connecting to mpd
+.TP
 \fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR
 print version and exit
 .TP