diff --git a/lib/cartodb/server_options.js b/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
index 27baadba..a93aabc7 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
@@ -424,6 +424,9 @@ module.exports = function(){
         // bring all query values onto req.params object
         _.extend(req.params, req.query);
 
+        // use both api_key and map_key to auth
+        req.params.map_key = req.params.map_key || req.params.api_key;
+
         // for cartodb, ensure interactivity is cartodb_id or user specified
         req.params.interactivity = req.params.interactivity || 'cartodb_id';
 
diff --git a/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js b/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
index b1e8b12e..5ad1e408 100644
--- a/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ suite('req2params', function() {
           assert.equal(qo.cache_buster, query.cache_buster)
           assert.equal('test', query.api_key)
           assert.equal(undefined, query.non_included)
+          assert.equal(query.map_key, 'test')
           done();
         });
       });