diff --git a/bridge/api/api.go b/bridge/api/api.go
index d53fc3b4..48715c50 100644
--- a/bridge/api/api.go
+++ b/bridge/api/api.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/config"
 	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/labstack/echo"
+	"github.com/labstack/echo/middleware"
 	"github.com/zfjagann/golang-ring"
 	"net/http"
 	"sync"
@@ -38,6 +39,11 @@ func New(cfg config.Protocol, account string, c chan config.Message) *Api {
 	b.Config = &cfg
 	b.Account = account
 	b.Remote = c
+	if b.Config.Token != "" {
+		e.Use(middleware.KeyAuth(func(key string, c echo.Context) (bool, error) {
+			return key == b.Config.Token, nil
+		}))
+	}
 	e.GET("/api/messages", b.handleMessages)
 	e.POST("/api/message", b.handlePostMessage)
 	go func() {
diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index 172cb109..4b3c4250 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ type Protocol struct {
 	ShowJoinPart           bool   // all protocols
 	SkipTLSVerify          bool   // IRC, mattermost
 	Team                   string // mattermost
-	Token                  string // gitter, slack, discord
+	Token                  string // gitter, slack, discord, api
 	URL                    string // mattermost, slack, matrix
 	UseAPI                 bool   // mattermost, slack
 	UseSASL                bool   // IRC
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index 6fa9f1f4..f53863a9 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -612,6 +612,11 @@ BindAddress="127.0.0.1:4242"
 #Amount of messages to keep in memory
 Buffer=1000
 
+#Bearer token used for authentication
+#curl -H "Authorization: Bearer token" http://localhost:4242/api/messages
+#OPTIONAL (no authorization if token is empty)
+Token="mytoken"
+
 #RemoteNickFormat defines how remote users appear on this bridge 
 #The string "{NICK}" (case sensitive) will be replaced by the actual nick / username.
 #The string "{BRIDGE}" (case sensitive) will be replaced by the sending bridge
@@ -619,6 +624,8 @@ Buffer=1000
 #OPTIONAL (default empty)
 RemoteNickFormat="{NICK}"
 
+
+
 ###################################################################
 #General configuration
 ###################################################################