diff --git a/elasticsearch/connection/http.py b/elasticsearch/connection/http.py
index 4b5dc2f3..d537cabe 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/connection/http.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/connection/http.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class RequestsHttpConnection(Connection):
         self.session = requests.session()
         if http_auth is not None:
             if not isinstance(http_auth, (tuple, list)):
-                http_auth = tuple(http_auth.split(':', 1))
+                http_auth = http_auth.split(':', 1)
             http_auth = tuple(http_auth)
             self.session.auth = http_auth
         self.base_url = 'http%s://%s:%d%s' % (
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
index 497484a7..c17797de 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ class TestRequestsConnection(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals('{"answer": 42}', request.body)
 
     def test_http_auth_attached(self):
-        con = self._get_mock_connection(dict(http_auth='username:secret'))
+        con = self._get_mock_connection({'http_auth': 'username:secret'})
         request = self._get_request(con, 'GET', '/')
 
         self.assertEquals(request.headers['authorization'], 'Basic dXNlcm5hbWU6c2VjcmV0')