diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealm.java b/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealm.java
index 162e1d5d09..3fb3dc4e03 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealm.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealm.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ package sonia.scm.legacy;
 //~--- non-JDK imports --------------------------------------------------------
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 
 import org.apache.shiro.authc.AuthenticationException;
 import org.apache.shiro.authc.AuthenticationInfo;
@@ -108,7 +109,18 @@ public class LegacyRealm extends AuthenticatingRealm
     AuthenticationToken token)
     throws AuthenticationException
   {
-    return helper.getAuthenticationInfo(token);
+    Preconditions.checkArgument(token instanceof UsernamePasswordToken,
+      "unsupported token");
+
+    AuthenticationInfo info = null;
+    char[] password = ((UsernamePasswordToken) token).getPassword();
+
+    if ((password != null) && (password[0] != '$'))
+    {
+      info = helper.getAuthenticationInfo(token);
+    }
+
+    return info;
   }
 
   //~--- fields ---------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealmTest.java b/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealmTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08ed92e3e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-legacy-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/legacy/LegacyRealmTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2014, Sebastian Sdorra
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
+ *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+ *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+ *    and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ * 3. Neither the name of SCM-Manager; nor the names of its
+ *    contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
+ *    software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+ * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+ * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+ * DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
+ * DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
+ * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON
+ * ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+ * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ * http://bitbucket.org/sdorra/scm-manager
+ *
+ */
+
+
+
+package sonia.scm.legacy;
+
+//~--- non-JDK imports --------------------------------------------------------
+
+import org.apache.shiro.authc.AuthenticationInfo;
+import org.apache.shiro.authc.AuthenticationToken;
+import org.apache.shiro.authc.SimpleAuthenticationInfo;
+import org.apache.shiro.authc.UsernamePasswordToken;
+import org.apache.shiro.crypto.hash.Sha1Hash;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+
+import org.mockito.InjectMocks;
+import org.mockito.Mock;
+import org.mockito.runners.MockitoJUnitRunner;
+
+import sonia.scm.group.GroupDAO;
+import sonia.scm.security.BearerAuthenticationToken;
+import sonia.scm.user.User;
+import sonia.scm.user.UserDAO;
+import sonia.scm.user.UserTestData;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Sdorra
+ */
+@RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
+public class LegacyRealmTest
+{
+
+  /** Field description */
+  private static final String NEW_PASSWORD =
+    "$shiro1$SHA-512$8192$$yrNahBVDa4Gz+y5gat4msdjyvjtHlVE+N5nTl4WIDhtBFwhSIib13mKJt1sWmVqgHDWi3VwX7fkdkJ2+WToTbw==";
+
+  //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   */
+  @Test
+  public void testDoGetAuthenticationInfo()
+  {
+    User user = UserTestData.createTrillian();
+
+    user.setPassword(new Sha1Hash("secret").toHex());
+    when(userDAO.get("tricia")).thenReturn(user);
+
+    AuthenticationToken token = new UsernamePasswordToken("tricia", "secret");
+    AuthenticationInfo authInfo = realm.doGetAuthenticationInfo(token);
+
+    assertNotNull(authInfo);
+    assertEquals("tricia", authInfo.getPrincipals().getPrimaryPrincipal());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   */
+  @Test
+  public void testDoGetAuthenticationInfoWithNewPasswords()
+  {
+    AuthenticationToken token = new UsernamePasswordToken("tricia",
+                                  NEW_PASSWORD);
+
+    assertNull(realm.doGetAuthenticationInfo(token));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   */
+  @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+  public void testDoGetAuthenticationInfoWrongToken()
+  {
+    realm.doGetAuthenticationInfo(new BearerAuthenticationToken("test"));
+  }
+
+  //~--- fields ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /** Field description */
+  @Mock
+  private GroupDAO groupDAO;
+
+  /** Field description */
+  @InjectMocks
+  private LegacyRealm realm;
+
+  /** Field description */
+  @Mock
+  private UserDAO userDAO;
+}