diff --git a/nsupdate/api/views.py b/nsupdate/api/views.py
index d04fa44..111e8d1 100644
--- a/nsupdate/api/views.py
+++ b/nsupdate/api/views.py
@@ -139,9 +139,14 @@ def check_api_auth(username, password):
         host = Host.get_by_fqdn(fqdn)
     except ValueError:
         return None
-    if host is None or not check_password(password, host.update_secret):
-        return None
-    return host
+    if host is not None:
+        ok = check_password(password, host.update_secret)
+        success_msg = ('failure', 'success')[ok]
+        msg = "api authentication %s. [hostname: %s (given in basic auth)]" % (success_msg, fqdn, )
+        host.register_api_auth_result(msg, fault=not ok)
+        if ok:
+            return host
+    return None
 
 
 def check_session_auth(user, hostname):
diff --git a/nsupdate/main/migrations/0004_auto_20141115_2349.py b/nsupdate/main/migrations/0004_auto_20141115_2349.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48ac76d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nsupdate/main/migrations/0004_auto_20141115_2349.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import models, migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('main', '0003_auto_20141115_2230'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='host',
+            name='api_auth_faults',
+            field=models.PositiveIntegerField(default=0, verbose_name='api auth faults'),
+            preserve_default=True,
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='host',
+            name='api_auth_result_msg',
+            field=models.CharField(default=b'', max_length=255, blank=True, help_text='Latest result message relating to api authentication', null=True, verbose_name='api auth result msg'),
+            preserve_default=True,
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/nsupdate/main/models.py b/nsupdate/main/models.py
index 8da8cd3..398cbc8 100644
--- a/nsupdate/main/models.py
+++ b/nsupdate/main/models.py
@@ -220,6 +220,14 @@ class Host(models.Model):
         default='', blank=True, null=True,
         help_text=_("Latest result message relating to the server"))
 
+    # count api auth errors - maybe caused by host owner (misconfigured update client)
+    api_auth_faults = models.PositiveIntegerField(_("api auth faults"), default=0)
+    api_auth_result_msg = models.CharField(
+        _("api auth result msg"),
+        max_length=RESULT_MSG_LEN,
+        default='', blank=True, null=True,
+        help_text=_("Latest result message relating to api authentication"))
+
     # when we received the last update for v4/v6 addr
     last_update_ipv4 = models.DateTimeField(_("last update IPv4"), blank=True, null=True)
     last_update_ipv6 = models.DateTimeField(_("last update IPv6"), blank=True, null=True)
@@ -296,6 +304,12 @@ class Host(models.Model):
         self.server_result_msg = result_fmt(msg)
         self.save()
 
+    def register_api_auth_result(self, msg, fault=False):
+        if fault:
+            self.api_auth_faults += 1
+        self.api_auth_result_msg = result_fmt(msg)
+        self.save()
+
     def generate_secret(self, secret=None):
         # note: we use a quick hasher for the update_secret as expensive
         # more modern hashes might put too much load on the servers. also
diff --git a/nsupdate/main/templates/main/host.html b/nsupdate/main/templates/main/host.html
index 1518c06..af48aa4 100644
--- a/nsupdate/main/templates/main/host.html
+++ b/nsupdate/main/templates/main/host.html
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@
         <div class="col-md-12">
             <h3>{% trans "Result Messages" %}</h3>
             <form>
+                <label for="api_auth_result_msg">{% trans "API Authentication Result Message" %}</label>
+                <input class="form-control" type="text" maxlength="255" id="api_auth_result_msg" value="{{ host.api_auth_result_msg }}" disabled>
                 <label for="client_result_msg">{% trans "Client Result Message" %}</label>
                 <input class="form-control" type="text" maxlength="255" id="client_result_msg" value="{{ host.client_result_msg }}" disabled>
                 <label for="server_result_msg">{% trans "Server Result Message" %}</label>