diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw.c b/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
index 20c3946b5ff..e692f674cd1 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw.c
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ static struct flb_config_map config_map[] = {
    },
    {
     FLB_CONFIG_MAP_STR, "shared_key", NULL,
-    0, FLB_FALSE, 0,
+    0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_in_fw_config, shared_key),
     "Shared key for authentication"
    },
    {
@@ -448,6 +448,11 @@ static struct flb_config_map config_map[] = {
     0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_in_fw_config, buffer_max_size),
     "The maximum buffer memory size used to receive a Forward message."
    },
+   {
+    FLB_CONFIG_MAP_BOOL, "empty_shared_key", "false",
+    0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_in_fw_config, empty_shared_key),
+    "Set an empty shared key for authentication"
+   },
    {0}
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw.h b/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
index 4cd270e27a2..032371b7d3a 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw.h
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ struct flb_in_fw_config {
     flb_sds_t shared_key;        /* shared key                   */
     flb_sds_t self_hostname;     /* hostname used in certificate  */
     struct mk_list users;        /* username and password pairs  */
+    int empty_shared_key;        /* use an empty string as shared key */
 
     int coll_fd;
     struct flb_downstream *downstream; /* Client manager          */
diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw_config.c b/plugins/in_forward/fw_config.c
index b3a22931ffd..f1b33136587 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw_config.c
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw_config.c
@@ -86,12 +86,11 @@ struct flb_in_fw_config *fw_config_init(struct flb_input_instance *i_ins)
     }
 
     /* Shared Key */
-    p = flb_input_get_property("shared_key", i_ins);
-    if (p) {
-        config->shared_key = flb_sds_create(p);
-    }
-    else {
-        config->shared_key = NULL;
+    if (config->empty_shared_key) {
+        if (config->shared_key) {
+            flb_sds_destroy(config->shared_key);
+        }
+        config->shared_key = flb_sds_create("");
     }
 
     /* Self Hostname */