diff --git a/oslo_cache/_opts.py b/oslo_cache/_opts.py
index 0787959f..1849b992 100644
--- a/oslo_cache/_opts.py
+++ b/oslo_cache/_opts.py
@@ -122,10 +122,8 @@ FILE_OPTIONS = {
                     help='Enable the SASL(Simple Authentication and Security'
                          'Layer) if the SASL_enable is true, else disable.'),
         cfg.StrOpt('memcache_username',
-                   default='',
                    help='the user name for the memcached which SASL enabled'),
         cfg.StrOpt('memcache_password',
-                   default='',
                    secret=True,
                    help='the password for the memcached which SASL enabled'),
         cfg.BoolOpt('tls_enabled',
diff --git a/oslo_cache/backends/memcache_pool.py b/oslo_cache/backends/memcache_pool.py
index cf68a884..0ad36cb5 100644
--- a/oslo_cache/backends/memcache_pool.py
+++ b/oslo_cache/backends/memcache_pool.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ except ImportError as e:
     else:
         raise
 from oslo_cache import _memcache_pool
+from oslo_cache import exception
 
 
 # Helper to ease backend refactoring
@@ -63,6 +64,11 @@ class PooledMemcachedBackend(memcached_backend.MemcachedBackend):
     def __init__(self, arguments):
         super(PooledMemcachedBackend, self).__init__(arguments)
         if arguments.get('sasl_enabled', False):
+            if (arguments.get('username') is None or
+                    arguments.get('password') is None):
+                raise exception.ConfigurationError(
+                    'username and password should be configured to use SASL '
+                    'authentication.')
             if not _bmemcache_pool:
                 raise ImportError("python-binary-memcached package is missing")
             self.client_pool = _bmemcache_pool.BMemcacheClientPool(