diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.h b/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.h
index 94c07e8..0e0b805 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.h
@@ -124,6 +124,18 @@
  */
 @property (readonly, nonatomic, assign) NSStringEncoding responseStringEncoding;
 
+
+///--------------------------------
+/// @name Accessing URL Credentials
+///--------------------------------
+
+/**
+ The credential used for authentication challenges in `-connection:didReceiveAuthenticationChallenge:`.
+ 
+ @discussion This will be overridden by any shared credentials that exist for the username or password of the request URL, if present.
+ */
+@property (nonatomic, strong) NSURLCredential *credential;
+
 ///------------------------
 /// @name Accessing Streams
 ///------------------------
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.m b/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.m
index 0d27490..0c540bf 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.m
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFURLConnectionOperation.m
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ static inline BOOL AFStateTransitionIsValid(AFOperationState fromState, AFOperat
 @synthesize totalBytesRead = _totalBytesRead;
 @dynamic inputStream;
 @synthesize outputStream = _outputStream;
+@synthesize credential = _credential;
 @synthesize userInfo = _userInfo;
 @synthesize backgroundTaskIdentifier = _backgroundTaskIdentifier;
 @synthesize uploadProgress = _uploadProgress;
@@ -545,10 +546,10 @@ didReceiveAuthenticationChallenge:(NSURLAuthenticationChallenge *)challenge
     } else {
         if ([challenge previousFailureCount] == 0) {
             NSURLCredential *credential = nil;
-            
+
             NSString *username = (__bridge_transfer NSString *)CFURLCopyUserName((__bridge CFURLRef)[self.request URL]);
             NSString *password = (__bridge_transfer NSString *)CFURLCopyPassword((__bridge CFURLRef)[self.request URL]);
-            
+
             if (username && password) {
                 credential = [NSURLCredential credentialWithUser:username password:password persistence:NSURLCredentialPersistenceNone];
             } else if (username) {
@@ -556,6 +557,10 @@ didReceiveAuthenticationChallenge:(NSURLAuthenticationChallenge *)challenge
             } else {
                 credential = [[NSURLCredentialStorage sharedCredentialStorage] defaultCredentialForProtectionSpace:[challenge protectionSpace]];
             }
+
+            if (!credential) {
+                credential = self.credential;
+            }
             
             if (credential) {
                 [[challenge sender] useCredential:credential forAuthenticationChallenge:challenge];