diff --git a/django_mongokit/shortcut.py b/django_mongokit/shortcut.py
index b16363c..f9158c1 100644
--- a/django_mongokit/shortcut.py
+++ b/django_mongokit/shortcut.py
@@ -45,9 +45,16 @@
 # differently as long as you use get_database()
 def get_database(this_connection=connection):
     if __django_12__:
-        return this_connection[settings.DATABASES['mongodb']['NAME']]
+        name = settings.DATABASES['mongodb'].get('NAME')
+        user = settings.DATABASES['mongodb'].get('USER')
+        password = settings.DATABASES['mongodb'].get('PASSWORD')
     else:
-        return this_connection[settings.MONGO_DATABASE_NAME]
+        name = settings.MONGO_DATABASE_NAME
+        user = settings.MONGO_DATABASE_NAME
+        password = settings.MONGO_DATABASE_NAME
+    db = this_connection[name]
+    db.authenticate(user, password)
+    return db
 
 
 def get_version():