diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f2c60ea..2fc9162 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ edits. **Credentials are always injected — never hardcoded.**
 ## Install
 
 ```
-aioproxies @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioproxies.git@v0.2.1
+aioproxies @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioproxies.git@v0.2.2
 # network helpers (current_ip / reset) need the extra:
-aioproxies[net] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioproxies.git@v0.2.1
+aioproxies[net] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioproxies.git@v0.2.2
 ```
 
 The core has no dependencies. The `net` extra adds `aiohttp` for `current_ip` /
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2730db2..4bcaab2 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "aioproxies"
-version = "0.2.1"
+version = "0.2.2"
 description = "proxy parsing, formatting, health, and pool management for aiohttp/aioweb, camoufox, and socks5"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = []
diff --git a/src/aioproxies/__init__.py b/src/aioproxies/__init__.py
index 8814edf..899b7ef 100644
--- a/src/aioproxies/__init__.py
+++ b/src/aioproxies/__init__.py
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ __all__ = [
     "to_proxy",
 ]
 
-__version__ = "0.2.1"
+__version__ = "0.2.2"
diff --git a/src/aioproxies/manager.py b/src/aioproxies/manager.py
index 7629a11..7c5b012 100644
--- a/src/aioproxies/manager.py
+++ b/src/aioproxies/manager.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ class AioProxies:
         shuffle: bool = True,
         cooldown: int = 0,
     ):
+        if proxies is not None and len(proxies) == 0:
+            raise ValueError("proxies list is empty; provide at least one proxy")
         sources = [s for s in (template, proxies, static) if s]
         if len(sources) != 1:
             raise ValueError("provide exactly one of: template, proxies, static")
@@ -129,6 +131,10 @@ class AioProxies:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f"template placeholder {exc} not provided; pass it to next(**fields)"
                 ) from exc
+            except ValueError as exc:
+                # a malformed template (e.g. an unmatched '{') makes str.format raise a
+                # bare ValueError; re-raise naming the cause so it isn't cryptic
+                raise ValueError(f"malformed proxy template {self.template!r}: {exc}") from exc
             return parse(filled)
         return self._next_from_list()
 
diff --git a/src/aioproxies/proxy.py b/src/aioproxies/proxy.py
index d55a085..a9ffd13 100644
--- a/src/aioproxies/proxy.py
+++ b/src/aioproxies/proxy.py
@@ -133,8 +133,11 @@ def _proxy_from_dict(spec: Dict[str, str]) -> Proxy:
     """normalize an aiohttp / camoufox / socks5 dict into a Proxy"""
     if "server" in spec:
         proxy = _proxy_from_url(spec["server"])
-        user = spec.get("username")
-        password = spec.get("password")
+        # prefer explicit dict auth; otherwise fall back to auth embedded in the server
+        # URL (http://user:pass@host:port) so it isn't silently dropped — which would
+        # key the proxy auth-less and collide with a genuinely auth-less one
+        user = spec.get("username") or proxy.user
+        password = spec.get("password") or proxy.password
         if user and password:
             return Proxy(proxy.host, proxy.port, user, password)
         return Proxy(proxy.host, proxy.port)