diff --git a/plexpy/api2.py b/plexpy/api2.py
index b5c06e14..4ee867d5 100644
--- a/plexpy/api2.py
+++ b/plexpy/api2.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from future.builtins import str
 from future.builtins import object
 
+from hashing_passwords import check_hash
+
 import hashlib
 import inspect
 import json
@@ -609,9 +611,17 @@ General optional parameters:
             ```
          """
         data = None
-        apikey = hashlib.sha224(str(random.getrandbits(256))).hexdigest()[0:32]
+        apikey = hashlib.sha224(str(random.getrandbits(256)).encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()[0:32]
         if plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_USERNAME and plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_PASSWORD:
-            if username == plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_USERNAME and password == plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_PASSWORD:
+            authenticated = False
+            if plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_HASHED_PASSWORD and \
+                    username == plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_USERNAME and check_hash(password, plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_PASSWORD):
+                authenticated = True
+            elif not plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_HASHED_PASSWORD and \
+                    username == plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_USERNAME and password == plexpy.CONFIG.HTTP_PASSWORD:
+                authenticated = True
+
+            if authenticated:
                 if plexpy.CONFIG.API_KEY:
                     data = plexpy.CONFIG.API_KEY
                 else: