diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
index 931988176..edc36f2df 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func readBackupFromStdin(opts BackupOptions, gopts GlobalOptions, args []string)
 		return errors.Fatal("filename for backup from stdin must not be empty")
 	}
 
-	if gopts.password == "" && gopts.PasswordFile == "" {
+	if gopts.password == "" {
 		return errors.Fatal("unable to read password from stdin when data is to be read from stdin, use --password-file or $RESTIC_PASSWORD")
 	}
 
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ func readLinesFromFile(filename string) ([]string, error) {
 }
 
 func runBackup(opts BackupOptions, gopts GlobalOptions, args []string) error {
-	if opts.FilesFrom == "-" && gopts.password == "" && gopts.PasswordFile == "" {
-		return errors.Fatal("no password; either use `--password-file` option or put the password into the RESTIC_PASSWORD environment variable")
+	if opts.FilesFrom == "-" && gopts.password == "" {
+		return errors.Fatal("unable to read password from stdin when data is to be read from stdin, use --password-file or $RESTIC_PASSWORD")
 	}
 
 	fromfile, err := readLinesFromFile(opts.FilesFrom)
diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
index 47bbf4812..368cadb88 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
@@ -34,13 +34,11 @@ func runInit(gopts GlobalOptions, args []string) error {
 		return errors.Fatalf("create backend at %s failed: %v\n", gopts.Repo, err)
 	}
 
-	if gopts.password == "" {
-		gopts.password, err = ReadPasswordTwice(gopts,
-			"enter password for new backend: ",
-			"enter password again: ")
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+	gopts.password, err = ReadPasswordTwice(gopts,
+		"enter password for new backend: ",
+		"enter password again: ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	s := repository.New(be)
diff --git a/cmd/restic/global.go b/cmd/restic/global.go
index a29840a09..673d8bcaf 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/global.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/global.go
@@ -307,11 +307,9 @@ func OpenRepository(opts GlobalOptions) (*repository.Repository, error) {
 
 	s := repository.New(be)
 
-	if opts.password == "" {
-		opts.password, err = ReadPassword(opts, "enter password for repository: ")
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	opts.password, err = ReadPassword(opts, "enter password for repository: ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	err = s.SearchKey(context.TODO(), opts.password, maxKeys)