diff --git a/src/keria/app/agenting.py b/src/keria/app/agenting.py
index 1fc8a210..b21b38e5 100644
--- a/src/keria/app/agenting.py
+++ b/src/keria/app/agenting.py
@@ -884,6 +884,22 @@ def __init__(self, agency: Agency, username: str | None = None, password: str |
         self.password = password
         self.agency = agency
 
+    def parseBasicAuth(self, req: falcon.Request):
+        schemePrefix = 'Basic '
+        if req.auth is None or not req.auth.startswith(schemePrefix):
+            return None, None
+
+        token = b64decode(req.auth[len(schemePrefix):]).decode('utf-8')
+        splitIndex = token.find(':')
+        if splitIndex == -1:
+            return None, None
+
+        username = token[:splitIndex]
+        password = token[splitIndex + 1:]
+
+        return username, password
+
+
     def authenticate(self, req: falcon.Request):
         # Username AND Password is not set, so no need to authenticate
         if self.username is None and self.password is None:
@@ -892,15 +908,8 @@ def authenticate(self, req: falcon.Request):
         if req.auth is None:
             raise falcon.HTTPUnauthorized(title="Unauthorized")
 
-        scheme, token = req.auth.split(' ')
-        if scheme != 'Basic':
-            raise falcon.HTTPUnauthorized(title="Unauthorized")
-
         try:
-            username, password = b64decode(token).decode('utf-8').split(':')
-
-            if username is None or password is None:
-                raise falcon.HTTPUnauthorized(title="Unauthorized")
+            username, password = self.parseBasicAuth(req)
 
             if username == self.username and password == self.password:
                 return
diff --git a/src/keria/testing/testing_helper.py b/src/keria/testing/testing_helper.py
index 2337be45..7464d489 100644
--- a/src/keria/testing/testing_helper.py
+++ b/src/keria/testing/testing_helper.py
@@ -323,8 +323,8 @@ def server(agency, httpPort=3902):
         return httpServerDoer
 
     @staticmethod
-    def controller():
-        serder, signers = Helpers.incept(bran=b'0123456789abcdefghijk', stem="signify:controller", pidx=0)
+    def controller(bran=b'0123456789abcdefghijk'):
+        serder, signers = Helpers.incept(bran=bran, stem="signify:controller", pidx=0)
         sigers = [signers[0].sign(ser=serder.raw, index=0)]
         return serder, sigers
 
diff --git a/tests/app/test_agenting.py b/tests/app/test_agenting.py
index e0338f38..996b0fda 100644
--- a/tests/app/test_agenting.py
+++ b/tests/app/test_agenting.py
@@ -283,52 +283,59 @@ def test_unprotected_boot_ends(helpers):
     }
 
 def test_protected_boot_ends(helpers):
-    agency = agenting.Agency(name="agency", bran=None, temp=True)
-    doist = doing.Doist(limit=1.0, tock=0.03125, real=True)
-    doist.enter(doers=[agency])
+    credentials = [
+        dict(bran=b'0123456789abcdefghija', username="user", password="secret"), 
+        dict(bran=b'0123456789abcdefghijb', username="admin", password="secret with spaces"),
+        dict(bran=b'0123456789abcdefghijc', username="admin", password="secret : with colon")
+    ]
 
-    serder, sigers = helpers.controller()
-    assert serder.pre == helpers.controllerAID
+    for credential in credentials:
+        bran = credential["bran"]
+        username = credential["username"]
+        password = credential["password"]
 
-    app = falcon.App()
-    client = testing.TestClient(app)
+        agency = agenting.Agency(name="agency", bran=None, temp=True)
+        doist = doing.Doist(limit=1.0, tock=0.03125, real=True)
+        doist.enter(doers=[agency])
 
-    username = "user"
-    password = "secret"
+        serder, sigers = helpers.controller(bran=bran)
 
-    bootEnd = agenting.BootEnd(agency, username=username, password=password)
-    app.add_route("/boot", bootEnd)
+        app = falcon.App()
+        client = testing.TestClient(app)
 
-    body = dict(
-        icp=serder.ked,
-        sig=sigers[0].qb64,
-        salty=dict(
-            stem='signify:aid', pidx=0, tier='low', sxlt='OBXYZ',
-            icodes=[MtrDex.Ed25519_Seed], ncodes=[MtrDex.Ed25519_Seed]
+        bootEnd = agenting.BootEnd(agency, username=username, password=password)
+        app.add_route("/boot", bootEnd)
+
+        body = dict(
+            icp=serder.ked,
+            sig=sigers[0].qb64,
+            salty=dict(
+                stem='signify:aid', pidx=0, tier='low', sxlt='OBXYZ',
+                icodes=[MtrDex.Ed25519_Seed], ncodes=[MtrDex.Ed25519_Seed]
+            )
         )
-    )
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"))
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"))
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": "Something test"})
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": "Something test"})
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": "Basic user:secret"})
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {username}:{password}"})
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(b'test:secret').decode('utf-8')}"} )
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(bytes(f'test:{password}', 'utf-8')).decode('utf-8')}"} )
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(b'user').decode('utf-8')}"} )
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(bytes(f'{username}', 'utf-8')).decode('utf-8')}"} )
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(b'user:test').decode('utf-8')}"} )
-    assert rep.status_code == 401
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": f"Basic {b64encode(bytes(f'{username}:test', 'utf-8')).decode('utf-8')}"} )
+        assert rep.status_code == 401
 
-    authorization = f"Basic {b64encode(b'user:secret').decode('utf-8')}"
-    rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": authorization})
-    assert rep.status_code == 202
+        authorization = f"Basic {b64encode(bytes(f'{username}:{password}', 'utf-8')).decode('utf-8')}"
+        rep = client.simulate_post("/boot", body=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={"Authorization": authorization})
+        assert rep.status_code == 202
 
 def test_misconfigured_protected_boot_ends(helpers):
     agency = agenting.Agency(name="agency", bran=None, temp=True)