diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer.rb
index c1ca69ac8..12bf2df8c 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer.rb
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ def head
         def pact_metadata
           "<div class='pact-metadata'>
             <ul>
-              #{badge_list_items}
+              #{badge_list_item}
+              #{badge_markdown_item}
               <li>
                 <span class='name'>#{@pact.consumer.name} version:</span>
                 <span class='value'>#{@pact.consumer_version_number}#{tags}</span>
@@ -69,20 +70,30 @@ def pact_metadata
           </div>"
         end
 
-        def badge_list_items
-          if PactBroker.configuration.enable_public_badge_access
+        def badge_list_item
             "<li class='badge'>
               <img src='#{badge_url}'/>
             </li>
-            <li class='badge-markdown' style='display:none'>
-                <textarea rows='3' cols='100'>#{badge_markdown}</textarea>
-            </li>
             "
-          end
+        end
+
+        def badge_markdown_item
+          "<li class='badge-markdown' style='display:none'>
+              <textarea rows='3' cols='100'>#{badge_markdown}</textarea>
+          </li>"
         end
 
         def badge_markdown
-          "[![#{@pact.consumer.name}/#{@pact.provider.name} Pact Status](#{badge_url})](#{badge_target_url})"
+          warning = if badges_protected?
+            "If the broker is protected by authentication, set `enable_public_badge_access` to true in the configuration to enable badges to be embedded in a markdown file.\n"
+          else
+            ""
+          end
+          "#{warning}[![#{@pact.consumer.name}/#{@pact.provider.name} Pact Status](#{badge_url})](#{badge_target_url})"
+        end
+
+        def badges_protected?
+          !PactBroker.configuration.enable_public_badge_access
         end
 
         def base_url
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer_spec.rb
index 80bb0a26b..0d1695f17 100644
--- a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/renderers/html_pact_renderer_spec.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@ module Renderers
             expect(subject).to include "[![Consumer/Provider Pact Status](http://badge)](http://base)"
           end
 
+          context "when enable_public_badge_access is false" do
+            before do
+              PactBroker.configuration.enable_public_badge_access = false
+            end
+
+            it "renders a message instructing the user to turn public access on" do
+              expect(subject).to include "set `enable_public_badge_access` to true in the configuration"
+            end
+          end
+
           context "when the content is not a valid pact, but is still JSON" do
             before do
               allow(pact).to receive(:content_hash).and_return(content_hash)