diff --git a/docs/ENVIRONMENT.rst b/docs/ENVIRONMENT.rst
index 857a5780..4ab39d49 100644
--- a/docs/ENVIRONMENT.rst
+++ b/docs/ENVIRONMENT.rst
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ REST API
 -  **PATRONI\_RESTAPI\_CERTFILE**: Specifies the file with the certificate in the PEM format. If the certfile is not specified or is left empty, the API server will work without SSL.
 -  **PATRONI\_RESTAPI\_KEYFILE**: Specifies the file with the secret key in the PEM format.
 -  **PATRONI\_RESTAPI\_CAFILE**: Specifies the file with the CA_BUNDLE with certificates of trusted CAs to use while verifying client certs.
--  **PATRONI\_RESTAPI\_VERIFY\_CLIENT**: ``none`` (default), ``optional`` or ``required``. When ``none`` REST API will not check client certificates. When ``required`` client certificates are required for all REST API calls. When ``optional`` client certificates are required for all unsafe REST API endpoints. If ``verify_client`` is set to ``optional`` or ``required`` basic-auth is not checked. When ``required`` is used, then client authentication succeeds, if the certificate signature verification succeeds. For ``optional`` the client cert will only be checked for ``PUT``, ``POST``, ``PATCH``, and ``DELETE`` requests. 
+-  **PATRONI\_RESTAPI\_VERIFY\_CLIENT**: ``none`` (default), ``optional`` or ``required``. When ``none`` REST API will not check client certificates. When ``required`` client certificates are required for all REST API calls. When ``optional`` client certificates are required for all unsafe REST API endpoints. When ``required`` is used, then client authentication succeeds, if the certificate signature verification succeeds. For ``optional`` the client cert will only be checked for ``PUT``, ``POST``, ``PATCH``, and ``DELETE`` requests. 
 
 CTL
 ---
diff --git a/docs/SETTINGS.rst b/docs/SETTINGS.rst
index 27fe3f79..d0a3ab3c 100644
--- a/docs/SETTINGS.rst
+++ b/docs/SETTINGS.rst
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ REST API
         -  **certfile**: (optional): Specifies the file with the certificate in the PEM format. If the certfile is not specified or is left empty, the API server will work without SSL.
         -  **keyfile**: (optional): Specifies the file with the secret key in the PEM format.
         -  **cafile**: (optional): Specifies the file with the CA_BUNDLE with certificates of trusted CAs to use while verifying client certs.
-        -  **verify\_client**: (optional): ``none`` (default), ``optional`` or ``required``. When ``none`` REST API will not check client certificates. When ``required`` client certificates are required for all REST API calls. When ``optional`` client certificates are required for all unsafe REST API endpoints. If ``verify_client`` is set to ``optional`` or ``required`` basic-auth is not checked. When ``required`` is used, then client authentication succeeds, if the certificate signature verification succeeds.  For ``optional`` the client cert will only be checked for ``PUT``, ``POST``, ``PATCH``, and ``DELETE`` requests.
+        -  **verify\_client**: (optional): ``none`` (default), ``optional`` or ``required``. When ``none`` REST API will not check client certificates. When ``required`` client certificates are required for all REST API calls. When ``optional`` client certificates are required for all unsafe REST API endpoints. When ``required`` is used, then client authentication succeeds, if the certificate signature verification succeeds.  For ``optional`` the client cert will only be checked for ``PUT``, ``POST``, ``PATCH``, and ``DELETE`` requests.
 
 .. _patronictl_settings:
 
diff --git a/patroni/api.py b/patroni/api.py
index 324a3752..2c10ac22 100644
--- a/patroni/api.py
+++ b/patroni/api.py
@@ -516,10 +516,10 @@ class RestApiServer(ThreadingMixIn, HTTPServer, Thread):
             if self.__protocol == 'https' and self.__ssl_options.get('verify_client') in ('required', 'optional'):
                 return rh._write_response(403, 'client certificate required')
 
-            reason = self.check_auth_header(rh.headers.get('Authorization'))
-            if reason:
-                headers = {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="' + self.patroni.__class__.__name__ + '"'}
-                return rh._write_response(401, reason, headers=headers)
+        reason = self.check_auth_header(rh.headers.get('Authorization'))
+        if reason:
+            headers = {'WWW-Authenticate': 'Basic realm="' + self.patroni.__class__.__name__ + '"'}
+            return rh._write_response(401, reason, headers=headers)
         return True
 
     @staticmethod