diff --git a/lib/cartodb/central.rb b/lib/cartodb/central.rb
index c1627d0f53..05c89480c4 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/central.rb
+++ b/lib/cartodb/central.rb
@@ -19,11 +19,10 @@ module Cartodb
 
     def build_request(path, body, method, timeout = 200)
       Typhoeus::Request.new(
-        "#{@host}/#{path}",
+        "#{ @host }/#{ path }",
         method: method,
         body: body.to_json,
-        username: @auth['username'],
-        password: @auth['password'],
+        userpwd: "#{ @auth[:username] }:#{ @auth[:password] }",
         headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json" },
         ssl_verifypeer: Rails.env.production?,
         timeout: timeout
diff --git a/spec/lib/central_spec.rb b/spec/lib/central_spec.rb
index 3543999afe..23cd10490f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/central_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/central_spec.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 require_relative '../../lib/cartodb/central'
 
+def config
+  Cartodb.config[:cartodb_central_api].deep_symbolize_keys
+end
+
 def config_present?
-  Cartodb.config[:cartodb_central_api].present? &&
-  Cartodb.config[:cartodb_central_api]['username'].present? &&
-  Cartodb.config[:cartodb_central_api]['password'].present?
+  config.present? &&
+  config[:username].present? &&
+  config[:password].present?
+end
+
+def assert_headers_and_auth(request)
+  request.options[:headers]["Content-Type"].should == "application/json"
+  request.options[:userpwd].should == "#{ config[:username] }:#{ config[:password] }"
 end
 
 describe Cartodb::Central do
@@ -35,10 +44,18 @@ describe Cartodb::Central do
     describe "Organization users" do
       it "gets all users from an organization" do
         request = @cartodb_central_client.build_request(@users_path, nil, :get)
+
+        request.url.should == "#{ @cartodb_central_client.host }/#{ @users_path }"
+        request.options[:method].should == :get
+        assert_headers_and_auth(request)
       end
 
       it "gets an organization user" do
         request = @cartodb_central_client.build_request(@user_path, nil, :get)
+
+        request.url.should == "#{ @cartodb_central_client.host }/#{ @user_path }"
+        request.options[:method].should == :get
+        assert_headers_and_auth(request)
       end
 
       it "creates an organization user" do
@@ -47,9 +64,9 @@ describe Cartodb::Central do
         request = @cartodb_central_client.build_request(@user_path, body, :post)
 
         request.url.should == "#{ @cartodb_central_client.host }/#{ @user_path }"
-        request.options[:headers]["Content-Type"].should == "application/json"
         request.options[:method].should == :post
         request.options[:body].should == { user: @user.allowed_attributes_to_central(:create) }.to_json
+        assert_headers_and_auth(request)
       end
 
       it "updates an organization user" do
@@ -58,17 +75,17 @@ describe Cartodb::Central do
         request = @cartodb_central_client.build_request(@user_path, body, :put)
 
         request.url.should == "#{ @cartodb_central_client.host }/#{ @user_path }"
-        request.options[:headers]["Content-Type"].should == "application/json"
         request.options[:method].should == :put
         request.options[:body].should == { user: @user.allowed_attributes_to_central(:update) }.to_json
+        assert_headers_and_auth(request)
       end
 
       it "deletes an organization user" do
         request = @cartodb_central_client.build_request(@user_path, nil, :delete)
 
         request.url.should == "#{ @cartodb_central_client.host }/#{ @user_path }"
-        request.options[:headers]["Content-Type"].should == "application/json"
         request.options[:method].should == :delete
+        assert_headers_and_auth(request)
       end
     end