diff --git a/bin/ansible b/bin/ansible
index d23c732260..61806cc9dc 100755
--- a/bin/ansible
+++ b/bin/ansible
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 ########################################################
 
 import sys
-import getpass
 
 from ansible.runner import Runner
 import ansible.constants as C
@@ -101,13 +100,9 @@ class Cli(object):
         sshpass = None
         sudopass = None
         options.ask_pass = options.ask_pass or C.DEFAULT_ASK_PASS
-        if options.ask_pass:
-            sshpass = getpass.getpass(prompt="SSH password: ")
         options.ask_sudo_pass= options.ask_sudo_pass or C.DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS
-        if options.ask_sudo_pass:
-            sudopass = getpass.getpass(prompt="sudo password: ")
-            options.sudo = True
-        if options.sudo_user:
+        ( sshpass, sudopass ) = utils.ask_passwords(ask_pass=options.ask_pass, ask_sudo_pass=options.ask_sudo_pass)
+        if options.sudo_user or options.ask_sudo_pass:
             options.sudo = True
         options.sudo_user = options.sudo_user or C.DEFAULT_SUDO_USER
         if options.tree:
diff --git a/bin/ansible-playbook b/bin/ansible-playbook
index 5bcdb0cd63..a241b8e996 100755
--- a/bin/ansible-playbook
+++ b/bin/ansible-playbook
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #######################################################
 
 import sys
-import getpass
 import os
 
 import ansible.playbook
@@ -93,13 +92,9 @@ def main(args):
     sudopass = None
     if not options.listhosts and not options.syntax and not options.listtasks:
         options.ask_pass = options.ask_pass or C.DEFAULT_ASK_PASS
-        if options.ask_pass:
-            sshpass = getpass.getpass(prompt="SSH password: ")
         options.ask_sudo_pass = options.ask_sudo_pass or C.DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS
-        if options.ask_sudo_pass:
-            sudopass = getpass.getpass(prompt="sudo password: ")
-            options.sudo = True
-        if options.sudo_user:
+        ( sshpass, sudopass ) = utils.ask_passwords(ask_pass=options.ask_pass, ask_sudo_pass=options.ask_sudo_pass)
+        if options.sudo_user or options.ask_sudo_pass:
             options.sudo = True
         options.sudo_user = options.sudo_user or C.DEFAULT_SUDO_USER
     extra_vars = utils.parse_kv(options.extra_vars)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 325c3e7fcb..7a737acffe 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import random
 import difflib
 import warnings
 import traceback
+import getpass
 
 VERBOSITY=0
 
@@ -496,6 +497,22 @@ def base_parser(constants=C, usage="", output_opts=False, runas_opts=False,
 
     return parser
 
+def ask_passwords(ask_pass=False, ask_sudo_pass=False):
+    sshpass = None
+    sudopass = None
+    sudo_prompt = "sudo password: "
+
+    if ask_pass:
+        sshpass = getpass.getpass(prompt="SSH password: ")
+        sudo_prompt = "sudo password [defaults to SSH password]: "
+
+    if ask_sudo_pass:
+        sudopass = getpass.getpass(prompt=sudo_prompt)
+        if ask_pass and sudopass == '':
+            sudopass = sshpass
+
+    return (sshpass, sudopass)
+
 def do_encrypt(result, encrypt, salt_size=None, salt=None):
     if PASSLIB_AVAILABLE:
         try: