Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/AbstractJschWagon.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/AbstractJschWagon.java	(revision 713374)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/AbstractJschWagon.java	(working copy)
@@ -72,11 +72,20 @@
 
         File privateKey = getPrivateKey();
 
+        // username and password will be given via UserInfo interface.
+        UserInfo ui = new WagonUserInfo( authenticationInfo, interactiveUserInfo );
+        
         if ( privateKey != null && privateKey.exists() )
         {
             try
             {
-                sch.addIdentity( privateKey.getAbsolutePath(), authenticationInfo.getPassphrase() );
+            	if( authenticationInfo.getPassphrase().length() < 1 )
+            	{
+            		ui.promptPassphrase( "Passphrase for " + privateKey.getName() );
+            		authenticationInfo.setPassphrase( ui.getPassphrase() );
+            	}
+            	
+                sch.addIdentity( privateKey.getAbsolutePath(), authenticationInfo.getPassphrase());
             }
             catch ( JSchException e )
             {
@@ -120,9 +129,6 @@
             session.setProxy( null );
         }
 
-        // username and password will be given via UserInfo interface.
-        UserInfo ui = new WagonUserInfo( authenticationInfo, interactiveUserInfo );
-
         if ( uIKeyboardInteractive != null )
         {
             ui = new UserInfoUIKeyboardInteractiveProxy( ui, uIKeyboardInteractive );
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/PasswordPrompter.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/PasswordPrompter.java	(revision 0)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/PasswordPrompter.java	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.ssh.jsch.interactive;
+
+import java.awt.event.ComponentAdapter;
+import java.awt.event.ComponentEvent;
+
+import javax.swing.JDialog;
+import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
+import javax.swing.JPasswordField;
+
+public class PasswordPrompter
+{
+	public static String promptForPassword(String prompt)
+	{
+		final JPasswordField jpf = new JPasswordField();
+		JOptionPane jop = new JOptionPane(jpf,
+		  JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
+		  JOptionPane.OK_CANCEL_OPTION);
+		JDialog dialog = jop.createDialog( null, prompt );
+		dialog.addComponentListener(
+			new ComponentAdapter()
+			{
+			  public void componentShown(ComponentEvent e)
+			  {
+			    jpf.requestFocusInWindow();
+			  }
+			}
+		);
+		dialog.setVisible(true);
+		Integer result = (Integer)jop.getValue();
+		dialog.dispose();
+		char[] password = null;
+		if(result.intValue() == JOptionPane.OK_OPTION )
+		{
+		  password = jpf.getPassword();
+		}
+
+		return new String(password);
+	}
+	
+}
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/UserInfoUIKeyboardInteractiveProxy.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/UserInfoUIKeyboardInteractiveProxy.java	(revision 713374)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/interactive/UserInfoUIKeyboardInteractiveProxy.java	(working copy)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
      */
     public boolean promptPassword( String arg0 )
     {
-        return userInfo.promptPassword( arg0 );
+    	return userInfo.promptPassword( arg0 );
     }
 
     /**
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/WagonUserInfo.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/WagonUserInfo.java	(revision 713374)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/ssh/jsch/WagonUserInfo.java	(working copy)
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import com.jcraft.jsch.UserInfo;
 import org.apache.maven.wagon.authentication.AuthenticationInfo;
 import org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.ssh.interactive.InteractiveUserInfo;
+import org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.ssh.jsch.interactive.PasswordPrompter;
 
 class WagonUserInfo
     implements UserInfo
@@ -50,9 +51,9 @@
 
     public boolean promptPassphrase( String message )
     {
-        if ( passphrase == null && userInfo != null )
+        if ( passphrase.length() < 1 && userInfo != null )
         {
-            passphrase = userInfo.promptPassphrase( message );
+            passphrase = PasswordPrompter.promptForPassword( message );
         }
         return passphrase != null;
     }
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@
     {
         if ( password == null && userInfo != null )
         {
-            password = userInfo.promptPassword( message );
+            password = PasswordPrompter.promptForPassword( message );
         }
         return password != null;
     }