diff --git a/fedora_messaging/_session.py b/fedora_messaging/_session.py
index 1ca22e70..4c16ae9f 100644
--- a/fedora_messaging/_session.py
+++ b/fedora_messaging/_session.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ def _configure_tls_parameters(parameters):
     if cert and key:
         _log.info('Authenticating with server using x509 (certfile: %s, keyfile: %s)',
                   cert, key)
+        parameters.credentials = pika.credentials.ExternalCredentials()
     else:
         cert, key = None, None
 
diff --git a/fedora_messaging/tests/unit/test_session.py b/fedora_messaging/tests/unit/test_session.py
index d8c4980f..359285ed 100644
--- a/fedora_messaging/tests/unit/test_session.py
+++ b/fedora_messaging/tests/unit/test_session.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 import mock
 import pkg_resources
-from pika import exceptions as pika_errs, URLParameters
+from pika import exceptions as pika_errs, URLParameters, credentials
 from jsonschema.exceptions import ValidationError as JSONValidationError
 
 from fedora_messaging import _session, config
@@ -73,6 +73,31 @@ def test_publish_init_custom_url(self):
         self.assertIsNotNone(publisher._parameters.ssl_options)
         self.assertEqual(publisher._exchange, "test_exchange")
 
+    def test_plain_auth(self):
+        """Assert when there's no key or certfile, plain authentication is used"""
+        with mock.patch.dict(config.conf, {'tls': self.tls_conf}):
+            publisher = _session.PublisherSession(
+                "amqps://username:password@rabbit.example.com/vhost",
+                "test_exchange",
+            )
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            publisher._parameters.credentials, credentials.PlainCredentials)
+
+    def test_external_auth(self):
+        """Assert when there's both a key and certfile, external auth is used"""
+        tls_conf = {
+            'keyfile': os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, 'key.pem'),
+            'certfile': os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, 'cert.pem'),
+            'ca_cert': os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, 'ca_bundle.pem'),
+        }
+        with mock.patch.dict(config.conf, {'tls': tls_conf}):
+            publisher = _session.PublisherSession(
+                "amqps://username:password@rabbit.example.com/vhost",
+                "test_exchange",
+            )
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            publisher._parameters.credentials, credentials.ExternalCredentials)
+
     def test_publish(self):
         # Check that the publication works properly.
         self.publisher.publish(self.message)
@@ -176,8 +201,26 @@ def setUp(self):
     def tearDown(self):
         self.consumer._shutdown()
 
-    def test_tls_parameters(self):
-        """Assert TLS settings translate to a TLS connection for consumers."""
+    def test_plain_auth(self):
+        """Assert when there's no key or certfile, plain authentication is used"""
+        tls_conf = {
+            'amqp_url': 'amqps://',
+            'tls': {
+                'keyfile': None,
+                'certfile': None,
+                'ca_cert': os.path.join(FIXTURES_DIR, 'ca_bundle.pem'),
+            }
+        }
+
+        with mock.patch.dict(config.conf, tls_conf):
+            consumer = _session.ConsumerSession()
+
+        self.assertTrue(consumer._parameters.ssl_options is not None)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            consumer._parameters.credentials, credentials.PlainCredentials)
+
+    def test_external_auth(self):
+        """Assert when there's both a key and certfile, external auth is used"""
         tls_conf = {
             'amqp_url': 'amqps://',
             'tls': {
@@ -191,6 +234,8 @@ def test_tls_parameters(self):
             consumer = _session.ConsumerSession()
 
         self.assertTrue(consumer._parameters.ssl_options is not None)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            consumer._parameters.credentials, credentials.ExternalCredentials)
 
     def test_consume(self):
         # Test the consume function.
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 3e269a5b..e8779f50 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ blinker
 click
 jsonschema
 pytoml
-pika
+pika>=0.12
 six