diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/routes.py b/src/calibre/srv/routes.py
index 6fd13021c3..4a0dc3bf73 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/routes.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/routes.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ default_methods = frozenset(('HEAD', 'GET'))
 def route_key(route):
     return route.partition('{')[0].rstrip('/')
 
-def endpoint(route, methods=default_methods, types=None, auth_required=False, android_workaround=False):
+def endpoint(route, methods=default_methods, types=None, auth_required=True, android_workaround=False):
     def annotate(f):
         f.route = route.rstrip('/') or '/'
         f.types = types or {}
diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/tests/auth.py b/src/calibre/srv/tests/auth.py
index f309b04172..1147d592e2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/tests/auth.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/tests/auth.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from calibre.srv.routes import endpoint, Router
 
 REALM = 'calibre-test'
 
-@endpoint('/open')
+@endpoint('/open', auth_required=False)
 def noauth(ctx, data):
     return 'open'