diff --git a/apply_issue.py b/apply_issue.py
index 52f31882d..6784ce535 100755
--- a/apply_issue.py
+++ b/apply_issue.py
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ def main():
   parser.add_option(
       '-v', '--verbose', action='count', default=0,
       help='Prints debugging infos')
+  parser.add_option(
+      '-e',
+      '--email',
+      help='Email address for authenticating with Rietveld')
   parser.add_option(
       '-i', '--issue', type='int', help='Rietveld issue number')
   parser.add_option(
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@ def main():
   if not options.issue:
     parser.error('Require --issue')
 
-  obj = rietveld.Rietveld(options.server, None, None)
+  obj = rietveld.Rietveld(options.server, options.email, None)
 
   if not options.patchset:
     options.patchset = obj.get_issue_properties(
diff --git a/rietveld.py b/rietveld.py
index 0323332cd..e3da3f0e5 100644
--- a/rietveld.py
+++ b/rietveld.py
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ class Rietveld(object):
             extra_headers=extra_headers or {})
     else:
       self.rpc_server = upload.GetRpcServer(url, email)
+      # If email is given as an empty string, then assume we want to make
+      # requests that do not need authentication.  Bypass authentication by
+      # setting the flag to True.
+      if email == '':
+        self.rpc_server.authenticated = True
+
     self._xsrf_token = None
     self._xsrf_token_time = None