diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@
 
 #include "distrenjob.h"
 #include "listen.h"
+#include "mysql.h"
 #include "slavefuncs.h"
-#include "mysql.h"
+#include "user_mgr.h"
 
 #include "common/asprintf.h"
 #include "common/execio.h"
@@ -62,6 +63,12 @@ struct general_info
   {
     /** general_info.xml */
     char *geninfo;
+
+    /**
+     * \brief Where to store the user listing.
+     */
+    char *userlist;
+
     /**
      * where to store in-progress uploads or things that should
      * otherwise be on the same filesystem as the rest of the datadir
@@ -81,6 +88,8 @@ struct general_info
   time_t timestamp;
   unsigned long total_render_power;
   unsigned long total_priority_pieces;
+
+  user_mgr_t user_mgr;
 };
 
 
@@ -98,6 +107,7 @@ int distrend_handle_request(struct distr
  * client request handlers
  */
 int distrend_handle_version(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
+int distrend_handle_pass(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
 int distrend_handle_file_post_start(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
 int distrend_handle_file_post(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
 int distrend_handle_file_post_finish(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
@@ -171,6 +181,18 @@ Ethan Zonca <e@ethanzonca.com>\n\
 		    general_info.config->datadir);
   distren_mkdir_recurse(general_info.files.tmpdir);
 
+  _distren_asprintf(&general_info.files.userlist, "%s/users.xml",
+		    general_info.config->datadir);
+
+  /** configuraton stuff that depends on the paths being calculated, such as loading data */
+  general_info.user_mgr = user_mgr_init(general_info.files.userlist);
+  if(!general_info.user_mgr)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Error initializing user_mgr\n");
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+
   /** MySQL Connection */
   fprintf(stderr,"Connecting to mysql...\n");
   if(mysqlConnect(&general_info.conn,
@@ -206,10 +228,12 @@ Ethan Zonca <e@ethanzonca.com>\n\
 	}
     }
 
-  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION, &distrend_handle_version);
-  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST_START, &distrend_handle_file_post_start);
-  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST, &distrend_handle_file_post);
-  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST_FINISH, &distrend_handle_file_post_finish);
+  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION, &distrend_handle_version, (uint8_t)DISTREND_CLIENT_PREVERSION);
+  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS,
+			      &distrend_handle_pass, (uint8_t)DISTREND_CLIENT_PREAUTH);
+  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST_START, &distrend_handle_file_post_start, (uint8_t)DISTREND_CLIENT_GOOD);
+  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST, &distrend_handle_file_post, (uint8_t)DISTREND_CLIENT_GOOD);
+  distrend_listen_handler_add(general_info.config->listens, DISTREN_REQUEST_FILE_POST_FINISH, &distrend_handle_file_post_finish, (uint8_t)DISTREND_CLIENT_GOOD);
 
   /* Main Loop */
   general_info.config->die = 0;
@@ -230,6 +254,8 @@ Ethan Zonca <e@ethanzonca.com>\n\
 
   /** free() paths */
   free(general_info.files.geninfo);
+  free(general_info.files.tmpdir);
+  free(general_info.files.userlist);
   mysqlDisconnect(general_info.conn);
 
   return 0;
@@ -285,6 +311,45 @@ int distrend_handle_version(struct gener
 }
 
 /**
+ * Handle a DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS request.
+ */
+int distrend_handle_pass(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data)
+{
+  struct distren_request_pass *pass_req;
+
+  char username[DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_USERNAME_LEN + 1];
+  char pass[DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_PASS_LEN + 1];
+
+  struct user *user;
+
+  if(req->len < sizeof(struct distren_request_pass))
+    {
+      distrend_send_disconnect(client, "You tried to send too short of a DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS.");
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  pass_req = req_data;
+  memcpy(username, pass_req->username, DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_USERNAME_LEN);
+  username[DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_USERNAME_LEN] = '\0';
+
+  memcpy(pass, pass_req->pass, DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_PASS_LEN);
+  pass[DISTREN_REQUEST_PASS_PASS_LEN] = '\0';
+
+  user = user_find(geninfo->user_mgr, username);
+  if(!user
+     || strcmp(user->username, username)
+     || strcmp(user->pass, pass))
+    {
+      distrend_send_disconnect(client, "Invalid username or password.");
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  client->state = DISTREND_CLIENT_GOOD;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/**
  * Traversal helper for distrend_client_find_post().
  */
 int distrend_client_find_post_traverse(uint32_t *post_id, struct distrend_client_file_post *client_file_post)