diff --git a/config b/config
index 0d17dae..bd35574 100644
--- a/config
+++ b/config
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 [auth]
 
 # Authentication method
-# Value: None | htpasswd
+# Value: None | htpasswd | remote_user | http_x_remote_user
 #type = None
 
 # Htpasswd filename
diff --git a/radicale/__init__.py b/radicale/__init__.py
index 9b85c6b..5137434 100644
--- a/radicale/__init__.py
+++ b/radicale/__init__.py
@@ -371,15 +371,19 @@ class Application:
         function = getattr(self, "do_%s" % environ["REQUEST_METHOD"].upper())
 
         # Ask authentication backend to check rights
-        authorization = environ.get("HTTP_AUTHORIZATION", None)
-        if authorization and authorization.startswith("Basic"):
+        external_login = self.Auth.get_external_login(environ)
+        authorization = environ.get("HTTP_AUTHORIZATION", "")
+        if external_login:
+            login, password = external_login
+        elif authorization.startswith("Basic"):
             authorization = authorization[len("Basic"):].strip()
             login, password = self.decode(base64.b64decode(
                 authorization.encode("ascii")), environ).split(":", 1)
-            user = self.Auth.map_login_to_user(login)
         else:
-            user = self.Auth.map_login_to_user(environ.get("REMOTE_USER", ""))
+            # DEPRECATED: use remote_user backend instead
+            login = environ.get("REMOTE_USER", "")
             password = ""
+        user = self.Auth.map_login_to_user(login)
 
         # If "/.well-known" is not available, clients query "/"
         if path == "/.well-known" or path.startswith("/.well-known/"):
@@ -437,7 +441,7 @@ class Application:
             status, headers, answer = NOT_ALLOWED
 
         if (status, headers, answer) == NOT_ALLOWED and not (
-                user and is_authenticated):
+                user and is_authenticated) and not external_login:
             # Unknown or unauthorized user
             self.logger.debug("Asking client for authentication")
             status = client.UNAUTHORIZED
diff --git a/radicale/auth.py b/radicale/auth.py
index b202c5d..06f15f1 100644
--- a/radicale/auth.py
+++ b/radicale/auth.py
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ def load(configuration, logger):
     logger.debug("Authentication type is %s", auth_type)
     if auth_type == "None":
         class_ = NoneAuth
+    elif auth_type == "remote_user":
+        class_ = RemoteUserAuth
+    elif auth_type == "http_x_remote_user":
+        class_ = HttpXRemoteUserAuth
     elif auth_type == "htpasswd":
         class_ = Auth
     else:
@@ -79,6 +83,14 @@ class BaseAuth:
         self.configuration = configuration
         self.logger = logger
 
+    def get_external_login(self, environ):
+        """Optionally provide the login and password externally.
+
+        Returns a tuple (login, password) or ().
+
+        """
+        return ()
+
     def is_authenticated(self, user, password):
         """Validate credentials.
 
@@ -201,3 +213,13 @@ class Auth(BaseAuth):
                     if login_ok & password_ok:
                         return True
         return False
+
+
+class RemoteUserAuth(NoneAuth):
+    def get_external_login(self, environ):
+        return environ.get("REMOTE_USER", ""), ""
+
+
+class HttpXRemoteUserAuth(NoneAuth):
+    def get_external_login(self, environ):
+        return environ.get("HTTP_X_REMOTE_USER", ""), ""
diff --git a/radicale/tests/test_auth.py b/radicale/tests/test_auth.py
index 806dcd1..3ac3f08 100644
--- a/radicale/tests/test_auth.py
+++ b/radicale/tests/test_auth.py
@@ -109,6 +109,34 @@ class TestBaseAuthRequests(BaseTest):
             "bcrypt",
             "tmp:$2y$05$oD7hbiQFQlvCM7zoalo/T.MssV3VNTRI3w5KDnj8NTUKJNWfVpvRq")
 
+    def test_remote_user(self):
+        self.configuration.set("auth", "type", "remote_user")
+        self.application = Application(self.configuration, self.logger)
+        status, _, answer = self.request(
+            "PROPFIND", "/",
+            """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+               <propfind xmlns="DAV:">
+                 <prop>
+                   <current-user-principal />
+                 </prop>
+               </propfind>""", REMOTE_USER="test")
+        assert status == 207
+        assert ">/test/<" in answer
+
+    def test_http_x_remote_user(self):
+        self.configuration.set("auth", "type", "http_x_remote_user")
+        self.application = Application(self.configuration, self.logger)
+        status, _, answer = self.request(
+            "PROPFIND", "/",
+            """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+               <propfind xmlns="DAV:">
+                 <prop>
+                   <current-user-principal />
+                 </prop>
+               </propfind>""", HTTP_X_REMOTE_USER="test")
+        assert status == 207
+        assert ">/test/<" in answer
+
     def test_custom(self):
         """Custom authentication."""
         self.configuration.set("auth", "type", "tests.custom.auth")