diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_api_auth_test.go b/integration-cli/docker_api_auth_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63e78ab520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_api_auth_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/integration/checker"
+	"github.com/docker/engine-api/types"
+	"github.com/go-check/check"
+)
+
+// Test case for #22244
+func (s *DockerSuite) TestAuthApi(c *check.C) {
+	config := types.AuthConfig{
+		Username: "no-user",
+		Password: "no-password",
+	}
+
+	expected := "Get https://registry-1.docker.io/v2/: unauthorized: incorrect username or password\n"
+	status, body, err := sockRequest("POST", "/auth", config)
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+	c.Assert(status, check.Equals, http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	c.Assert(string(body), checker.Contains, expected, check.Commentf("Expected: %v, got: %v", expected, string(body)))
+}
diff --git a/registry/service.go b/registry/service.go
index acafc34b60..cdeca585c7 100644
--- a/registry/service.go
+++ b/registry/service.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ func (s *Service) ServiceConfig() *registrytypes.ServiceConfig {
 // It can be used to verify the validity of a client's credentials.
 func (s *Service) Auth(authConfig *types.AuthConfig, userAgent string) (status, token string, err error) {
 	serverAddress := authConfig.ServerAddress
+	if serverAddress == "" {
+		serverAddress = IndexServer
+	}
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(serverAddress, "https://") && !strings.HasPrefix(serverAddress, "http://") {
 		serverAddress = "https://" + serverAddress
 	}