diff --git a/bin/ansible b/bin/ansible
index bb8cce7295..690fcb6dea 100755
--- a/bin/ansible
+++ b/bin/ansible
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from optparse import OptionParser
 import json
 import os
+import getpass
 import ansible
 
 DEFAULT_HOST_LIST      = '/etc/ansible/hosts'
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ class Cli(object):
 
     def runner(self):
         parser = OptionParser()
+        parser.add_option("-P", "--askpass", default=False, action="store_true",
+            help="ask the user to input the ssh password for connecting")
         parser.add_option("-H", "--host-list", dest="host_list",
             help="path to hosts list", default=DEFAULT_HOST_LIST)
         parser.add_option("-L", "--library", dest="module_path",
@@ -61,11 +64,16 @@ class Cli(object):
         # TODO: more shell like splitting on module_args would
         # be a good idea
 
+        sshpass = None
+        if options.askpass:
+            sshpass = getpass.getpass(prompt="SSH password: ")
+
         return ansible.Runner(
             module_name=options.module_name,
             module_path=options.module_path,
             module_args=options.module_args.split(' '),
             remote_user=options.remote_user,
+            remote_pass=sshpass,
             host_list=options.host_list,
             forks=options.forks,
             pattern=options.pattern,
diff --git a/lib/ansible/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/__init__.py
index b57aee7aaa..f4f3d9a4b2 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/__init__.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ DEFAULT_FORKS          = 3
 DEFAULT_MODULE_ARGS    = ''
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT        = 60
 DEFAULT_REMOTE_USER    = 'root'
+DEFAULT_REMOTE_PASS    = None
 
 def _executor_hook(x):
     ''' callback used by multiprocessing pool '''
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class Runner(object):
        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT, 
        pattern=DEFAULT_PATTERN,
        remote_user=DEFAULT_REMOTE_USER,
+       remote_pass=DEFAULT_REMOTE_PASS,
        verbose=False):
       
 
@@ -69,6 +71,7 @@ class Runner(object):
        self.timeout     = timeout
        self.verbose     = verbose
        self.remote_user = remote_user
+       self.remote_pass = remote_pass
 
    def _parse_hosts(self, host_list):
         ''' parse the host inventory file if not sent as an array '''
@@ -95,8 +98,8 @@ class Runner(object):
        ssh = paramiko.SSHClient()
        ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
        try:
-          ssh.connect(host, username=self.remote_user,
-              allow_agent=True, look_for_keys=True)
+          ssh.connect(host, username=self.remote_user, allow_agent=True, 
+              look_for_keys=True, password=self.remote_pass)
           return [ True, ssh ]
        except:
           return [ False, traceback.format_exc() ]