diff --git a/code/espurna/config/general.h b/code/espurna/config/general.h
index 307c6eb7..260b12d9 100644
--- a/code/espurna/config/general.h
+++ b/code/espurna/config/general.h
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@
 #define TELNET_STA              0               // By default, disallow connections via STA interface
 #endif
 
-#ifndef TELNET_PASSWORD
-#define TELNET_PASSWORD         1               // Request password to start telnet session by default
+#ifndef TELNET_AUTHENTICATION
+#define TELNET_AUTHENTICATION   1               // Request password to start telnet session by default
 #endif
 
 #define TELNET_PORT             23              // Port to listen to telnet clients
diff --git a/code/espurna/telnet.ino b/code/espurna/telnet.ino
index 3b2e6338..9e933282 100644
--- a/code/espurna/telnet.ino
+++ b/code/espurna/telnet.ino
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ Parts of the code have been borrowed from Thomas Sarlandie's NetServer
 AsyncServer * _telnetServer;
 AsyncClient * _telnetClients[TELNET_MAX_CLIENTS];
 bool _telnetFirst = true;
-#if TELNET_PASSWORD
-    bool _authenticated[TELNET_MAX_CLIENTS];
-#endif
+
+bool _telnetAuth = TELNET_AUTHENTICATION;
+bool _telnetClientsAuth[TELNET_MAX_CLIENTS];
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Private methods
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ bool _telnetWebSocketOnReceive(const char * key, JsonVariant& value) {
 void _telnetWebSocketOnSend(JsonObject& root) {
     root["telnetVisible"] = 1;
     root["telnetSTA"] = getSetting("telnetSTA", TELNET_STA).toInt() == 1;
+    root["telnetAuth"] = getSetting("telnetAuth", TELNET_AUTHENTICATION).toInt() == 1;
 }
 
 #endif
@@ -54,16 +55,12 @@ bool _telnetWrite(unsigned char clientId, void *data, size_t len) {
 unsigned char _telnetWrite(void *data, size_t len) {
     unsigned char count = 0;
     for (unsigned char i = 0; i < TELNET_MAX_CLIENTS; i++) {
+        // Do not send broadcast messages to unauthenticated clients
+        if (_telnetAuth && !_telnetClientsAuth[i]) {
+            continue;
+        }
 
-        #if TELNET_PASSWORD
-            // Do not send broadcast messages to unauthenticated clients
-            if (_authenticated[i]) {
-                if (_telnetWrite(i, data, len)) ++count;
-            }
-        #else
-            if (_telnetWrite(i, data, len)) ++count;
-        #endif
-
+        if (_telnetWrite(i, data, len)) ++count;
     }
     return count;
 }
@@ -96,20 +93,24 @@ void _telnetData(unsigned char clientId, void *data, size_t len) {
         return;
     }
 
-    // Password
-    #if TELNET_PASSWORD
-        if (!_authenticated[clientId]) {
-            String password = getAdminPass();
-            if (strncmp(p, password.c_str(), password.length()) == 0) {
-                DEBUG_MSG_P(PSTR("[TELNET] Client #%d authenticated\n"), clientId);
-                _telnetWrite(clientId, "Welcome!\n");
-                _authenticated[clientId] = true;
-            } else {
-                _telnetWrite(clientId, "Password: ");
-            }
-            return;
+    // Password prompt (disable on CORE variant)
+    #ifdef ESPURNA_CORE
+        const bool authenticated = true;
+    #else
+        const bool authenticated = _telnetClientsAuth[clientId];
+    #endif
+
+    if (_telnetAuth && !authenticated) {
+        String password = getAdminPass();
+        if (strncmp(p, password.c_str(), password.length()) == 0) {
+            DEBUG_MSG_P(PSTR("[TELNET] Client #%d authenticated\n"), clientId);
+            _telnetWrite(clientId, "Welcome!\n");
+            _telnetClientsAuth[clientId] = true;
+        } else {
+            _telnetWrite(clientId, "Password: ");
         }
-    #endif // TELNET_PASSWORD
+        return;
+    }
 
     // Inject command
     settingsInject(data, len);
@@ -175,9 +176,11 @@ void _telnetNewClient(AsyncClient *client) {
                 debugClearCrashInfo();
             #endif
 
-            #if TELNET_PASSWORD
-                _authenticated[i] = false;
-                _telnetWrite(i, "Password: ");
+            #ifdef ESPURNA_CORE
+                _telnetClientsAuth[i] = true;
+            #else
+                _telnetClientsAuth[i] = !_telnetAuth;
+                if (_telnetAuth) _telnetWrite(i, "Password: ");
             #endif
 
             _telnetFirst = true;
@@ -214,6 +217,10 @@ unsigned char telnetWrite(unsigned char ch) {
     return _telnetWrite(data, 1);
 }
 
+void _telnetConfigure() {
+    _telnetAuth = getSetting("telnetAuth", TELNET_AUTHENTICATION).toInt() == 1;
+}
+
 void telnetSetup() {
 
     _telnetServer = new AsyncServer(TELNET_PORT);
@@ -227,6 +234,9 @@ void telnetSetup() {
         wsOnReceiveRegister(_telnetWebSocketOnReceive);
     #endif
 
+    espurnaRegisterReload(_telnetConfigure);
+    _telnetConfigure();
+
     DEBUG_MSG_P(PSTR("[TELNET] Listening on port %d\n"), TELNET_PORT);
 
 }
diff --git a/code/html/index.html b/code/html/index.html
index 1ef31ba6..54e42640 100644
--- a/code/html/index.html
+++ b/code/html/index.html
@@ -608,6 +608,13 @@
                                     <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-lg-3-4 hint">Turn ON to be able to telnet to your device while connected to your home router.<br />TELNET is always enabled in AP mode.</div>
                                 </div>
 
+                                <div class="pure-g module module-telnet">
+                                    <label class="pure-u-1 pure-u-lg-1-4">TELNET Password</label>
+                                    <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-lg-1-4"><input type="checkbox" name="telnetAuth" /></div>
+                                    <div class="pure-u-0 pure-u-lg-1-2"></div>
+                                    <div class="pure-u-0 pure-u-lg-1-4"></div>
+                                    <div class="pure-u-1 pure-u-lg-3-4 hint">Request password when starting telnet session</div>
+                                </div>
 
                                 <div class="pure-g module module-nofuss">
                                     <label class="pure-u-1 pure-u-lg-1-4">Automatic remote updates (NoFUSS)</label>