diff --git a/DependencyInjection/Configuration.php b/DependencyInjection/Configuration.php
index 1908db1..7a03f78 100644
--- a/DependencyInjection/Configuration.php
+++ b/DependencyInjection/Configuration.php
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@ class Configuration implements ConfigurationInterface
                     ->children()
                         ->scalarNode('enabled')->defaultTrue()->end()
                         ->scalarNode('endpoint')->defaultValue('/app_dev.php')->end()
+                        ->arrayNode('authentication')
+                            ->children()
+                                ->scalarNode('name')->isRequired()->end()
+                                ->scalarNode('delivery')
+                                    ->isRequired()
+                                    ->validate()
+                                        // header|query|request, but only query is implemented for now
+                                        ->ifNotInArray(array('query'))
+                                        ->thenInvalid("Unknown authentication delivery type '%s'.")
+                                    ->end()
+                                ->end()
+                            ->end()
+                        ->end()
                     ->end()
                 ->end()
             ->end();
diff --git a/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php b/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
index 1ecae53..321a2cc 100644
--- a/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
+++ b/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
@@ -36,5 +36,9 @@ class NelmioApiDocExtension extends Extension
         $loader->load('formatters.xml');
         $loader->load('request_listener.xml');
         $loader->load('services.xml');
+
+        if (isset($config['sandbox']['authentication'])) {
+            $container->setParameter('nelmio_api_doc.sandbox.authentication', $config['sandbox']['authentication']);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Formatter/HtmlFormatter.php b/Formatter/HtmlFormatter.php
index 71edc7b..6ab6b15 100644
--- a/Formatter/HtmlFormatter.php
+++ b/Formatter/HtmlFormatter.php
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ use Symfony\Component\Templating\EngineInterface;
 
 class HtmlFormatter extends AbstractFormatter
 {
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private $authentication;
+
     /**
      * @var string
      */
@@ -35,6 +40,14 @@ class HtmlFormatter extends AbstractFormatter
      */
     private $engine;
 
+    /**
+     * @param array $authentication
+     */
+    public function setAuthentication(array $authentication = null)
+    {
+        $this->authentication = $authentication;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param string $apiName
      */
@@ -95,12 +108,13 @@ class HtmlFormatter extends AbstractFormatter
     private function getGlobalVars()
     {
         return array(
-            'apiName'       => $this->apiName,
-            'endpoint'      => $this->endpoint,
-            'enableSandbox' => $this->enableSandbox,
-            'date'          => date(DATE_RFC822),
-            'css'           => file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/../Resources/public/css/screen.css'),
-            'js'            => file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/../Resources/public/js/all.js'),
+            'apiName'        => $this->apiName,
+            'authentication' => $this->authentication,
+            'endpoint'       => $this->endpoint,
+            'enableSandbox'  => $this->enableSandbox,
+            'date'           => date(DATE_RFC822),
+            'css'            => file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/../Resources/public/css/screen.css'),
+            'js'             => file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/../Resources/public/js/all.js'),
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ae19234..cb23ee7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -177,6 +177,9 @@ configure this sandbox using the following parameters:
     # app/config/config.yml
     nelmio_api_doc:
         sandbox:
+            authentication: # default null, if set, the value of the api key is read from the query string and appended to every sandbox api call
+                name: access_token
+                delivery: query # only query delivery is supported for now
             enabled:  true # default: true, you can set this parameter to `false` to disable the sandbox
             endpoint: http://sandbox.example.com/ # default: /app_dev.php, use this parameter to define which URL to call through the sandbox
 
diff --git a/Resources/config/formatters.xml b/Resources/config/formatters.xml
index 21aa93b..42f189c 100644
--- a/Resources/config/formatters.xml
+++ b/Resources/config/formatters.xml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         <parameter key="nelmio_api_doc.formatter.markdown_formatter.class">Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Formatter\MarkdownFormatter</parameter>
         <parameter key="nelmio_api_doc.formatter.simple_formatter.class">Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Formatter\SimpleFormatter</parameter>
         <parameter key="nelmio_api_doc.formatter.html_formatter.class">Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Formatter\HtmlFormatter</parameter>
+        <parameter key="nelmio_api_doc.sandbox.authentication">null</parameter>
     </parameters>
 
     <services>
@@ -35,6 +36,9 @@
             <call method="setEndpoint">
                 <argument>%nelmio_api_doc.sandbox.endpoint%</argument>
             </call>
+            <call method="setAuthentication">
+                <argument>%nelmio_api_doc.sandbox.authentication%</argument>
+            </call>
         </service>
     </services>
 
diff --git a/Resources/public/css/screen.css b/Resources/public/css/screen.css
index 86fc9e0..4b73b61 100644
--- a/Resources/public/css/screen.css
+++ b/Resources/public/css/screen.css
@@ -141,12 +141,18 @@ table tbody tr:last-child td {
 
 #header h1 {
   font-size: 1.2em;
+  float: left;
 }
 
 #header a {
   text-decoration: none;
 }
 
+#api_key_wrapper {
+  float: right;
+  padding: 10px 0 10px 0;
+}
+
 #colophon {
   margin: 0 15px 40px 15px;
   padding: 10px 0;
diff --git a/Resources/views/layout.html.twig b/Resources/views/layout.html.twig
index aa4768c..306befb 100644
--- a/Resources/views/layout.html.twig
+++ b/Resources/views/layout.html.twig
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
     <body>
         <div id="header">
             <a href=""><h1>{{ apiName }}</h1></a>
+            {% if authentication %}
+            <div id="api_key_wrapper">
+                api key: <input type="text" id="api_key"/>
+            </div>
+            {% endif %}
+            <br style="clear: both;" />
         </div>
         <div class="container" id="resources_container">
             <ul id="resources">
@@ -170,6 +176,12 @@
                     // disable all the fiels and buttons
                     $('input, button', $(this)).attr('disabled', 'disabled');
 
+                    // append the api key
+                    if (api_key_parameter) {
+                        url += url.indexOf('?') > 0 ? '&' : '?';
+                        url += api_key_parameter + '=' + $('#api_key').val();
+                    }
+
                     // and trigger the API call
                     $.ajax({
                     url: '{{ endpoint }}' + url,
@@ -257,6 +269,25 @@
                     $element.find('input.value').val(content_type);
 
                 });
+
+                {% if authentication %}
+                var api_key_parameter = '{{ authentication.name }}';
+                var search = window.location.search;
+
+                var api_key_start = search.indexOf(api_key_parameter) + api_key_parameter.length + 1;
+
+                if (api_key_start > 0 ) {
+                    var api_key_end = search.indexOf('&', api_key_start);
+
+                    var api_key = -1 == api_key_end
+                        ? search.substr(api_key_start)
+                        : search.substring(api_key_start, api_key_end);
+
+                    $('#api_key').val(api_key);
+                }
+                {% else %}
+                var api_key_parameter = false;
+                {% endif %}
             {% endif %}
         </script>
     </body>