diff --git a/bitcoin.rb b/bitcoin.rb
index 81d7b9f..119d1c6 100644
--- a/bitcoin.rb
+++ b/bitcoin.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ def self.rpc_proxy(server = {}, user_agent = nil)
     # This is a workaround; URI needs escaped username and password
     if username
       uri.user     = URI.escape username, /[^#{URI::PATTERN::UNRESERVED}]/
+      uri.password = ''
+    end
+    if password
       uri.password = URI.escape password, /[^#{URI::PATTERN::UNRESERVED}]/
     end