diff --git a/client/client.yml b/client/client.yml
index 3cd5736c..d3ba2722 100644
--- a/client/client.yml
+++ b/client/client.yml
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@
 #
 # default-host: https://ntfy.sh
 
-# Defaults below will be used when a topic does not have its own settings
+# Default username and password will be used with "ntfy publish" if no credentials are provided on command line
+# Default username and password will be used with "ntfy subscribe" if no credentials are provided in subscription below
+# For an empty password, use empty double-quotes ("")
 #
 # default-user:
 # default-password:
+
+# Default command will execute after "ntfy subscribe" receives a message if no command is provided in subscription below
 # default-command:
 
 # Subscriptions to topics and their actions. This option is primarily used by the systemd service,
diff --git a/cmd/publish.go b/cmd/publish.go
index 0b995258..efa875bf 100644
--- a/cmd/publish.go
+++ b/cmd/publish.go
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ func execPublish(c *cli.Context) error {
 			fmt.Fprintf(c.App.ErrWriter, "\r%s\r", strings.Repeat(" ", 20))
 		}
 		options = append(options, client.WithBasicAuth(user, pass))
+	} else if conf.DefaultUser != "" && conf.DefaultPassword != nil {
+		options = append(options, client.WithBasicAuth(conf.DefaultUser, *conf.DefaultPassword))
 	}
 	if pid > 0 {
 		newMessage, err := waitForProcess(pid)
diff --git a/docs/releases.md b/docs/releases.md
index 924b4d4f..d772f39d 100644
--- a/docs/releases.md
+++ b/docs/releases.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ and the [ntfy Android app](https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy-android/release
 * Bump Go version to Go 18.x ([#422](https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy/issues/422))
 * Web: Strip trailing slash when subscribing ([#428](https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy/issues/428), thanks to [@raining1123](https://github.com/raining1123) for reporting, and [@wunter8](https://github.com/wunter8) for fixing)
 * Allow empty passwords in `client.yml` ([#374](https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy/issues/374), thanks to [@cyqsimon](https://github.com/cyqsimon) for reporting, and [@wunter8](https://github.com/wunter8) for fixing)
+* `ntfy pub` will now use default username and password from `client.yml` ([#431](https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy/issues/431), thanks to [@wunter8](https://github.com/wunter8) for fixing)
 
 **Documentation:**