gistfile1.txt

diff --git a/src/couchdb/couch_db.erl b/src/couchdb/couch_db.erl
index 36b61a7..c411ede 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/couch_db.erl
+++ b/src/couchdb/couch_db.erl
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 -module(couch_db).
 -behaviour(gen_server).
 
--export([open/2,open_int/2,close/1,create/2,start_compact/1,get_db_info/1,get_design_docs/1]).
+-export([open/2,open/3,open_int/2,close/1,create/2,start_compact/1,get_db_info/1,get_design_docs/1]).
 -export([open_ref_counted/2,is_idle/1,monitor/1,count_changes_since/2]).
 -export([update_doc/3,update_doc/4,update_docs/4,update_docs/2,update_docs/3,delete_doc/3]).
 -export([get_doc_info/2,open_doc/2,open_doc/3,open_doc_revs/4]).
@@ -73,10 +73,16 @@ open_int(DbName, Options) ->
 % this should be called anytime an http request opens the database.
 % it ensures that the http userCtx is a valid reader
 open(DbName, Options) ->
-    case couch_server:open(DbName, Options) of
+    open(DbName, Options, false).
+ 
+open(DbName, Options, SkipCheck) ->
+     case couch_server:open(DbName, Options) of
         {ok, Db} ->
             try
-                check_is_reader(Db),
+                case SkipCheck of
+                    false -> check_is_reader(Db);
+                    true  -> ok
+                end,                
                 {ok, Db}
             catch
                 throw:Error ->
diff --git a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
index 51f1f55..4590c76 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
+++ b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
@@ -212,17 +212,34 @@ delete_db_req(#httpd{user_ctx=UserCtx}=Req, DbName) ->
     end.
 
 do_db_req(#httpd{user_ctx=UserCtx,path_parts=[DbName|_]}=Req, Fun) ->
-    case couch_db:open(DbName, [{user_ctx, UserCtx}]) of
-    {ok, Db} ->
-        try
-            Fun(Req, Db)
-        after
-            catch couch_db:close(Db)
-        end;
-    Error ->
-        throw(Error)
+    Anon = couch_config:get("couch_httpd_auth", "anonymous_design_doc", false),
+    SkipCheck = to_bool(AnonDesign) andalso
+        not requires_auth(Req#httpd.path_parts),
+    case couch_db:open(DbName, [{user_ctx, UserCtx}], SkipCheck) of
+        {ok, Db} ->
+            try
+                Fun(Req, Db)
+                after
+                    catch couch_db:close(Db)
+                end;
+        Error ->
+            throw(Error)
     end.
 
+requires_auth(Path) ->
+    case Path of
+        [_DbName, <<"_design">>, _Name, <<"_view">>|_] -> true;
+        [_DbName, <<"_design">>, _Name, <<"_show">>|_] -> true;
+        [_DbName, <<"_design">>, _Name, <<"_list">>|_] -> true;
+        [_DbName, <<"_design">>|_]                     -> false;
+        _                                              -> true
+    end.
+
+to_bool("true") ->
+    true;
+to_bool(_Else) ->
+    false.
+
 db_req(#httpd{method='GET',path_parts=[_DbName]}=Req, Db) ->
     {ok, DbInfo} = couch_db:get_db_info(Db),
     send_json(Req, {DbInfo});