diff --git a/lib/database_model.cpp b/lib/database_model.cpp
index d1224a8b..6841ab57 100644
--- a/lib/database_model.cpp
+++ b/lib/database_model.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 
 xca_db Database;
 
+bool database_model::open_without_password = false;
+
 QSqlError database_model::initSqlDB()
 {
 #define MAX_SCHEMAS 7
@@ -424,7 +426,6 @@ void database_model::openDatabase(const QString &descriptor, const Passwd &pass)
 
 	qDebug() << "IS REMOTE?" << params.size() << NUM_PARAM << type << params;
 	try {
-		Passwd pwd(pass);
 		QSqlDatabase db = QSqlDatabase::addDatabase(type);
 		connName = db.connectionName();
 		if (!isRemote) {
@@ -432,7 +433,7 @@ void database_model::openDatabase(const QString &descriptor, const Passwd &pass)
 				throw errorEx(tr("No SqLite3 driver available. Please install the qt-sqlite package of your distribution"));
 			openLocalDatabase(connName, descriptor);
 		} else {
-			openRemoteDatabase(connName, params, pwd);
+			openRemoteDatabase(connName, params, pass);
 		}
 		DbTransaction::setHasTransaction(
 			db.driver()->hasFeature(QSqlDriver::Transactions));
@@ -483,7 +484,7 @@ enum open_result database_model::initPass(const QString &dbName, const QString &
 		salt = Entropy::makeSalt();
 		pki_evp::passHash =pki_evp::sha512passwT(pki_evp::passwd,salt);
 		Settings["pwhash"] = pki_evp::passHash;
-	} else {
+	} else if (!open_without_password) {
 		pwhash_upgrade();
 		while (pki_evp::sha512passwT(pki_evp::passwd, pki_evp::passHash)
 				!= pki_evp::passHash)
@@ -501,6 +502,7 @@ enum open_result database_model::initPass(const QString &dbName, const QString &
 			pwhash_upgrade();
 		}
 	}
+	open_without_password = false;
 	if (pki_evp::passwd.isNull())
 		pki_evp::passwd = "";
 	return pw_ok;
diff --git a/lib/database_model.h b/lib/database_model.h
index abc3182a..aebf718f 100644
--- a/lib/database_model.h
+++ b/lib/database_model.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ class database_model: public QObject
 		void pkiChangedSlot(pki_base *pki);
 
 	public:
+		static bool open_without_password;
 		database_model(const QString &dbName,
 				const Passwd &pass = Passwd());
 		~database_model();
diff --git a/lib/main.cpp b/lib/main.cpp
index e3fd394c..600cd383 100644
--- a/lib/main.cpp
+++ b/lib/main.cpp
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ static void read_cmdline(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (cmd_opts.getResult() != 0)
 		cmd_help(EXIT_FAILURE, cmd_opts.resultString().toUtf8());
 
+	if (!cmd_opts.has("password"))
+		database_model::open_without_password = true;
+
 	if (cmd_opts.has("database"))
 		Database.open(cmd_opts["database"], sqlpw);
 
@@ -189,6 +192,8 @@ static void read_cmdline(int argc, char *argv[])
 			cmd_help(EXIT_FAILURE, msg[opt]);
 		}
 	}
+	database_model::open_without_password = true;
+
 	if (cmd_opts.has("list-curves")) {
 		QStringList list;
 		foreach(const builtin_curve &c, builtinCurves) {