diff --git a/mercurial_keyring.py b/mercurial_keyring.py
--- a/mercurial_keyring.py
+++ b/mercurial_keyring.py
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ class HTTPPasswordHandler(object):
         # Last resort: interactive prompt
         if not ui.interactive():
             raise util.Abort(_('mercurial_keyring: http authorization required but program used in non-interactive mode'))
+
+        if not fixed_user:
+            ui.status(_("Username not specified in .hg/hgrc. Keyring will not be used.\n"))
+            
         ui.write(_("http authorization required\n"))
         ui.status(_("realm: %s\n") % realm)
         if fixed_user: