diff --git a/server/src/engine/config.rs b/server/src/engine/config.rs
index 33ba576d..7d518abe 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/config.rs
+++ b/server/src/engine/config.rs
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ pub enum ConfigSource {
 impl ConfigSource {
     fn as_str(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {
-            ConfigSource::Cli => "CLI",
+            ConfigSource::Cli => "command-line arguments",
             ConfigSource::Env => "ENV",
             ConfigSource::File => "config file",
         }
@@ -530,8 +530,8 @@ fn arg_decode_auth<CS: ConfigurationSource>(
         return Err(ConfigError::with_src(
             CS::SOURCE,
             ConfigErrorKind::ErrorString(format!(
-                "to enable auth, you must provide values for {}",
-                CS::KEY_AUTH_DRIVER,
+                "to enable password auth, you must provide a value for '{}'",
+                CS::KEY_AUTH_ROOT_PASSWORD,
             )),
         )
         .into());
diff --git a/server/src/engine/tests/client_misc/sec/mod.rs b/server/src/engine/tests/client_misc/sec/mod.rs
index be1fa0bb..824e5666 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/tests/client_misc/sec/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/engine/tests/client_misc/sec/mod.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ mod dml_sec;
 use {
     crate::engine::error::QueryError,
     sky_macros::dbtest,
-    skytable::{error::Error, query},
+    skytable::{
+        error::{ConnectionSetupError, Error},
+        query,
+    },
 };
 
 const INVALID_SYNTAX_ERR: u16 = QueryError::QLInvalidSyntax.value_u8() as u16;
@@ -52,3 +55,12 @@ fn deny_unknown_tokens() {
         );
     }
 }
+
+#[dbtest(username = "root", password = "")]
+fn ensure_empty_password_returns_hs_error_5() {
+    let db = db_connect!();
+    assert_err_eq!(
+        db,
+        Error::ConnectionSetupErr(ConnectionSetupError::HandshakeError(5))
+    );
+}
diff --git a/sky-macros/src/dbtest.rs b/sky-macros/src/dbtest.rs
index 68cfef90..77eab96e 100644
--- a/sky-macros/src/dbtest.rs
+++ b/sky-macros/src/dbtest.rs
@@ -241,6 +241,14 @@ pub fn dbtest(attrs: TokenStream, item: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
             block = quote! {
                 #block
                 /// Get a Skyhash connection the database (defined by [`sky_macros::dbtest`])
+                #[allow(unused_macros)]
+                macro_rules! db_connect {
+                    () => {{
+                        skytable::Config::new(__DBTEST_HOST, __DBTEST_PORT, __DBTEST_USER, __DBTEST_PASS).connect()
+                    }}
+                }
+                /// Get a Skyhash connection the database (defined by [`sky_macros::dbtest`])
+                #[allow(unused_macros)]
                 macro_rules! db {
                     () => {{
                         skytable::Config::new(__DBTEST_HOST, __DBTEST_PORT, __DBTEST_USER, __DBTEST_PASS).connect().unwrap()