diff --git a/lib/URI/_userpass.pm b/lib/URI/_userpass.pm
index 1cef8f5d..f422038f 100644
--- a/lib/URI/_userpass.pm
+++ b/lib/URI/_userpass.pm
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ sub password
 	my $user = defined($info) ? $info : "";
 	$user =~ s/:.*//;
 
-	if (!defined($new) && !length($user)) {
-	    $self->userinfo(undef);
+	if (!defined($new)) {
+	    $self->userinfo($user || undef);
 	} else {
 	    $new = "" unless defined($new);
 	    $new =~ s/%/%25/g;
diff --git a/t/userpass.t b/t/userpass.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b18aa3d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/userpass.t
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+
+print "1..1\n";
+
+use URI;
+
+my $uri = URI->new("rsync://foo:bar\@example.com");
+$uri->password(undef);
+
+print "not " if $uri->as_string =~ /foo:\@example.com/;
+print "ok 1\n";