diff --git a/src/monger/core.clj b/src/monger/core.clj
index 7599136..cf86497 100644
--- a/src/monger/core.clj
+++ b/src/monger/core.clj
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@
 (defn connect-via-uri!
   "Connects to MongoDB using a URI, sets up default connection and database. Commonly used for PaaS-based applications,
    for example, running on Heroku. If username and password are provided, performs authentication."
-  [{ :keys [uri] }]
+  [uri]
   (let [uri  (MongoURI. uri)
         ;; yes, you are not hallucinating. A class named MongoURI has a method called connectDB.
         ;; I call it "college OOP". Or maybe "don't give a shit" OOP.
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@
     (when db
       (set-db! db))
     (when (and user pwd)
-      (authenticate db user pwd))
+      (when-not (authenticate (.getName db) user pwd)
+        (throw (IllegalArgumentException. "Could not authenticate. Either database name or credentials are invalid."))))
     conn))
 
 
diff --git a/test/monger/test/core.clj b/test/monger/test/core.clj
index a91ead0..6bcae50 100644
--- a/test/monger/test/core.clj
+++ b/test/monger/test/core.clj
@@ -24,8 +24,20 @@
     (is (instance? com.mongodb.Mongo connection))))
 
 (deftest connect-to-mongo-via-uri-without-credentials
-  (let [connection (monger.core/connect "mongodb://127.0.0.1")]
-    (is (instance? com.mongodb.Mongo connection))))
+  (let [connection (monger.core/connect-via-uri! "mongodb://127.0.0.1/monger-test4")]
+    (is (= (-> connection .getAddress (.sameHost "127.0.0.1")))))
+  ;; reconnect using regular host
+  (helper/connect!))
+
+(deftest connect-to-mongo-via-uri-with-valid-credentials
+  (let [connection (monger.core/connect-via-uri! "mongodb://clojurewerkz/monger!:monger!@127.0.0.1/monger-test4")]
+    (is (= (-> connection .getAddress (.sameHost "127.0.0.1")))))
+  ;; reconnect using regular host
+  (helper/connect!))
+
+(deftest connect-to-mongo-via-uri-with-invalid-credentials
+  (is (thrown? IllegalArgumentException
+               (monger.core/connect-via-uri! "mongodb://clojurewerkz/monger!:ahsidaysd78jahsdi8@127.0.0.1/monger-test4"))))
 
 
 (deftest test-mongo-options-builder