diff --git a/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/SessionConnection.java b/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/SessionConnection.java
index 987d8b91d3..fca26a0494 100644
--- a/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/SessionConnection.java
+++ b/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/SessionConnection.java
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ public final class SessionConnection implements Connection<Session> {
             .getSession(loginCredentials.getUser(), hostAndPort.getHostText(), hostAndPort.getPortOrDefault(22));
       if (sessionTimeout != 0)
          session.setTimeout(sessionTimeout);
-      if (!loginCredentials.getOptionalPrivateKey().isPresent()) {
+      if (loginCredentials.getOptionalPassword().isPresent()) {
          session.setPassword(loginCredentials.getOptionalPassword().orNull());
       } else if (loginCredentials.hasUnencryptedPrivateKey()) {
          byte[] privateKey = loginCredentials.getOptionalPrivateKey().get().getBytes();