diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
index 31c208507..622d74540 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 package authreq
 
 import (
-	"net/url"
-	"strings"
-
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/extensions"
 
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser"
@@ -68,30 +65,11 @@ func NewParser() parser.IngressAnnotation {
 // ParseAnnotations parses the annotations contained in the ingress
 // rule used to use an external URL as source for authentication
 func (a authReq) Parse(ing *extensions.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
-	str, err := parser.GetStringAnnotation(authURL, ing)
+	auth, err := parser.GetURLAnnotation(authURL, ing)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if str == "" {
-		return nil, ing_errors.NewLocationDenied("an empty string is not a valid URL")
-	}
-
-	ur, err := url.Parse(str)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if ur.Scheme == "" {
-		return nil, ing_errors.NewLocationDenied("url scheme is empty")
-	}
-	if ur.Host == "" {
-		return nil, ing_errors.NewLocationDenied("url host is empty")
-	}
-
-	if strings.Contains(ur.Host, "..") {
-		return nil, ing_errors.NewLocationDenied("invalid url host")
-	}
-
 	m, err := parser.GetStringAnnotation(authMethod, ing)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -104,7 +82,7 @@ func (a authReq) Parse(ing *extensions.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
 	sb, _ := parser.GetBoolAnnotation(authBody, ing)
 
 	return &External{
-		URL:      str,
+		URL:      auth.String(),
 		Method:   m,
 		SendBody: sb,
 	}, nil
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser/main.go
index bff6f2210..398083891 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser/main.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package parser
 
 import (
+	"net/url"
 	"strconv"
 
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/extensions"
@@ -51,6 +52,14 @@ func (a ingAnnotations) parseString(name string) (string, error) {
 	return "", errors.ErrMissingAnnotations
 }
 
+func (a ingAnnotations) parseURL(name string) (*url.URL, error) {
+	val, ok := a[name]
+	if ok {
+		return url.Parse(val)
+	}
+	return nil, errors.ErrMissingAnnotations
+}
+
 func (a ingAnnotations) parseInt(name string) (int, error) {
 	val, ok := a[name]
 	if ok {
@@ -100,3 +109,12 @@ func GetIntAnnotation(name string, ing *extensions.Ingress) (int, error) {
 	}
 	return ingAnnotations(ing.GetAnnotations()).parseInt(name)
 }
+
+// GetUrlAnnotation extracts a URL from an Ingress annotation
+func GetURLAnnotation(name string, ing *extensions.Ingress) (*url.URL, error) {
+	err := checkAnnotation(name, ing)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return ingAnnotations(ing.GetAnnotations()).parseURL(name)
+}