diff --git a/spring-cql/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean.java b/spring-cql/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean.java
index 901e2192a..5e137b851 100644
--- a/spring-cql/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-cql/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-
 package org.springframework.cassandra.config;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -63,6 +62,7 @@ import com.datastax.driver.core.policies.RetryPolicy;
  * @author Kirk Clemens
  * @author Jorge Davison
  * @author John Blum
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  * @see org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean
  * @see org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean
  * @see org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean
@@ -185,10 +185,8 @@ public class CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean
 
 		if (authProvider != null) {
 			builder.withAuthProvider(authProvider);
-
-			if (username != null) {
-				builder.withCredentials(username, password);
-			}
+		} else if (username != null) {
+			builder.withCredentials(username, password);
 		}
 
 		if (nettyOptions != null) {
diff --git a/spring-cql/src/test/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBeanUnitTests.java b/spring-cql/src/test/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBeanUnitTests.java
index 4e5490445..3b0ed6fe4 100644
--- a/spring-cql/src/test/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBeanUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-cql/src/test/java/org/springframework/cassandra/config/CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBeanUnitTests.java
@@ -173,27 +173,31 @@ public class CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBeanUnitTests {
 
 	/**
 	 * @see DATACASS-226
+	 * @see DATACASS-263
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 */
 	@Test
-	public void doesNotSetPlainTextAuthenticationUnlessAuthProviderIsSet() throws Exception {
+	public void shouldSetAuthenticationProvider() throws Exception {
 
-		CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean bean = new CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean();
-		bean.setUsername("user");
-		bean.setPassword("password");
-		bean.afterPropertiesSet();
-
-		AuthProvider result = getConfiguration(bean).getProtocolOptions().getAuthProvider();
-		assertThat(result, is(AuthProvider.NONE));
-	}
-
-	@Test
-	public void shouldSetAuthentication() throws Exception {
-
-		PlainTextAuthProvider authProvider = new PlainTextAuthProvider("x", "y");
+		AuthProvider authProvider = new PlainTextAuthProvider("x", "y");
 
 		CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean bean = new CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean();
 		bean.setAuthProvider(authProvider);
+		bean.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		AuthProvider result = getConfiguration(bean).getProtocolOptions().getAuthProvider();
+		assertThat(result, is(equalTo(authProvider)));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATACASS-226
+	 * @see DATACASS-263
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void shouldSetAuthentication() throws Exception {
+
+		CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean bean = new CassandraCqlClusterFactoryBean();
 		bean.setUsername("user");
 		bean.setPassword("password");
 		bean.afterPropertiesSet();