diff --git a/Documentation/git-send-email.txt b/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
index 0554f2b374..4f4caa402d 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
@@ -96,11 +96,40 @@ The --cc option must be repeated for each user you want on the cc list.
 	servers typically listen to smtp port 25 and ssmtp port
 	465).
 
---smtp-user, --smtp-pass::
-	Username and password for SMTP-AUTH. Defaults are the values of
-	the configuration values 'sendemail.smtpuser' and
-	'sendemail.smtppass', but see also 'sendemail.identity'.
-	If not set, authentication is not attempted.
+--smtp-user::
+	Username for SMTP-AUTH. In place of this option, the following
+	configuration variables can be specified:
++
+--
+		* sendemail.smtpuser
+		* sendemail.<identity>.smtpuser (see sendemail.identity).
+--
++
+However, --smtp-user always overrides these variables.
++
+If a username is not specified (with --smtp-user or a
+configuration variable), then authentication is not attempted.
+
+--smtp-pass::
+	Password for SMTP-AUTH. The argument is optional: If no
+	argument is specified, then the empty string is used as
+	the password.
++
+In place of this option, the following configuration variables
+can be specified:
++
+--
+		* sendemail.smtppass
+		* sendemail.<identity>.smtppass (see sendemail.identity).
+--
++
+However, --smtp-pass always overrides these variables.
++
+Furthermore, passwords need not be specified in configuration files
+or on the command line. If a username has been specified (with
+--smtp-user or a configuration variable), but no password has been
+specified (with --smtp-pass or a configuration variable), then the
+user is prompted for a password while the input is masked for privacy.
 
 --smtp-ssl::
 	If set, connects to the SMTP server using SSL.
diff --git a/git-send-email.perl b/git-send-email.perl
index a1a9d14b00..fec55ea2df 100755
--- a/git-send-email.perl
+++ b/git-send-email.perl
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ sub format_2822_time {
 
 # Variables we fill in automatically, or via prompting:
 my (@to,@cc,@initial_cc,@bcclist,@xh,
-	$initial_reply_to,$initial_subject,@files,$author,$sender,$compose,$time);
+	$initial_reply_to,$initial_subject,@files,$author,$sender,$smtp_authpass,$compose,$time);
 
 my $envelope_sender;
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ sub format_2822_time {
 
 # Variables with corresponding config settings
 my ($thread, $chain_reply_to, $suppress_from, $signed_off_cc, $cc_cmd);
-my ($smtp_server, $smtp_server_port, $smtp_authuser, $smtp_authpass, $smtp_ssl);
+my ($smtp_server, $smtp_server_port, $smtp_authuser, $smtp_ssl);
 my ($identity, $aliasfiletype, @alias_files, @smtp_host_parts);
 my ($no_validate);
 
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ sub format_2822_time {
 		    "smtp-server=s" => \$smtp_server,
 		    "smtp-server-port=s" => \$smtp_server_port,
 		    "smtp-user=s" => \$smtp_authuser,
-		    "smtp-pass=s" => \$smtp_authpass,
+		    "smtp-pass:s" => \$smtp_authpass,
 		    "smtp-ssl!" => \$smtp_ssl,
 		    "identity=s" => \$identity,
 		    "compose" => \$compose,
@@ -647,9 +647,26 @@ sub send_message
 			die "Unable to initialize SMTP properly.  Is there something wrong with your config?";
 		}
 
-		if ((defined $smtp_authuser) && (defined $smtp_authpass)) {
+		if (defined $smtp_authuser) {
+
+			if (!defined $smtp_authpass) {
+
+				system "stty -echo";
+
+				do {
+					print "Password: ";
+					$_ = <STDIN>;
+					print "\n";
+				} while (!defined $_);
+
+				chomp($smtp_authpass = $_);
+
+				system "stty echo";
+			}
+
 			$auth ||= $smtp->auth( $smtp_authuser, $smtp_authpass ) or die $smtp->message;
 		}
+
 		$smtp->mail( $raw_from ) or die $smtp->message;
 		$smtp->to( @recipients ) or die $smtp->message;
 		$smtp->data or die $smtp->message;