diff --git a/libraries/liblutil/passwd.c b/libraries/liblutil/passwd.c
index 7a04154b98..3fc5e6f455 100644
--- a/libraries/liblutil/passwd.c
+++ b/libraries/liblutil/passwd.c
@@ -328,7 +328,8 @@ lutil_passwd(
 
 #ifdef SLAPD_CLEARTEXT
 	if( is_allowed_scheme("{CLEARTEXT}", schemes ) ) {
-		return passwd->bv_len == cred->bv_len
+		return (( passwd->bv_len == cred->bv_len ) &&
+				( passwd->bv_val[0] != '{' /*'}'*/ ))
 			? memcmp( passwd->bv_val, cred->bv_val, passwd->bv_len )
 			: 1;
 	}