diff -Naurp httpd-2.2.18/modules/aaa/mod_auth_basic.c httpd-2.2.18.oden/modules/aaa/mod_auth_basic.c
--- httpd-2.2.18/modules/aaa/mod_auth_basic.c	2006-07-12 05:38:44.000000000 +0200
+++ httpd-2.2.18.oden/modules/aaa/mod_auth_basic.c	2011-05-12 07:11:18.840813199 +0200
@@ -252,6 +252,14 @@ static int authenticate_basic_user(reque
             return DECLINED;
         }
 
+        /* If no providers were configured, and the default file
+         * provider gave a general error (which will happen only if
+         * has not been configured), presume that a non-provider-based
+         * authn module is configured, and get out of the way. */
+        if (!conf->providers && auth_result == AUTH_GENERAL_ERROR) {
+            return DECLINED;
+        }
+
         switch (auth_result) {
         case AUTH_DENIED:
             ap_log_rerror(APLOG_MARK, APLOG_ERR, 0, r,
diff -Naurp httpd-2.2.18/modules/aaa/mod_authn_file.c httpd-2.2.18.oden/modules/aaa/mod_authn_file.c
--- httpd-2.2.18/modules/aaa/mod_authn_file.c	2011-02-14 21:31:23.000000000 +0100
+++ httpd-2.2.18.oden/modules/aaa/mod_authn_file.c	2011-05-12 07:11:18.840813199 +0200
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ static authn_status check_password(reque
         return AUTH_GENERAL_ERROR;
     }
 
+    if (!conf->pwfile) {
+        return AUTH_GENERAL_ERROR;
+    }
+
     status = ap_pcfg_openfile(&f, r->pool, conf->pwfile);
 
     if (status != APR_SUCCESS) {