diff --git a/src/bind_faction.c b/src/bind_faction.c
index bb0920395..46967252c 100644
--- a/src/bind_faction.c
+++ b/src/bind_faction.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ static int tolua_faction_create(lua_State * L)
 static int tolua_faction_get_password(lua_State * L)
 {
     faction *self = (faction *)tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
-    tolua_pushstring(L, self->_password);
+    tolua_pushstring(L, faction_getpassword(self));
     return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gamedb.c b/src/gamedb.c
index 2ca2dba73..5f53d9120 100644
--- a/src/gamedb.c
+++ b/src/gamedb.c
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ int gamedb_update(void)
     err = db_driver_open(DB_GAME, dbname);
     if (err == 0) {
         for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
-            int uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, turn, f->email, f->_password);
+            int uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, turn,
+                faction_getemail(f),
+                faction_getpassword(f));
             if (uid > 0) {
                 f->uid = uid;
             }
diff --git a/src/kernel/database.test.c b/src/kernel/database.test.c
index 04108aa85..8be957cb4 100644
--- a/src/kernel/database.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/database.test.c
@@ -51,9 +51,13 @@ static void test_update_faction(CuTest *tc) {
 
     test_setup();
     f = test_create_faction(NULL);
-    uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, 0, f->email, f->_password);
+    uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, 0,
+        faction_getemail(f),
+        faction_getpassword(f));
     f->uid = uid;
-    uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, 0, f->email, f->_password);
+    uid = db_driver_faction_save(f->uid, f->no, 0,
+        faction_getemail(f),
+        faction_getpassword(f));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, f->uid, uid);
     test_teardown();
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.c b/src/kernel/faction.c
index 21ea35833..a3cd96bc9 100755
--- a/src/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
 #include "calendar.h"
 #include "config.h"
+#include "database.h"
 #include "alliance.h"
 #include "ally.h"
 #include "curse.h"
@@ -106,7 +107,6 @@ static void free_faction(faction * f)
 
     free(f->email);
     free(f->banner);
-    free(f->_password);
     free(f->name);
     if (f->seen_factions) {
         selist_free(f->seen_factions);
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ faction *addfaction(const char *email, const char *password,
     f->alliance_joindate = turn;
     f->lastorders = turn;
     f->_alive = true;
-    f->_password = NULL;
+    f->password_id = 0;
     f->age = 0;
     f->race = frace;
     f->magiegebiet = 0;
@@ -321,9 +321,11 @@ unit *addplayer(region * r, faction * f)
 
 bool checkpasswd(const faction * f, const char *passwd)
 {
+    const char *pwhash;
     if (!passwd) return false;
 
-    if (f->_password && password_verify(f->_password, passwd) == VERIFY_FAIL) {
+    pwhash = faction_getpassword(f);
+    if (pwhash && password_verify(pwhash, passwd) == VERIFY_FAIL) {
         log_info("password check failed: %s", factionname(f));
         return false;
     }
@@ -603,11 +605,17 @@ void faction_setbanner(faction * self, const char *banner)
         self->banner = str_strdup(banner);
 }
 
+const char *faction_getpassword(const faction *f) {
+    if (f->password_id > 0) {
+        return dbstring_load(f->password_id, NULL);
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 void faction_setpassword(faction * f, const char *pwhash)
 {
     assert(pwhash);
-    free(f->_password);
-    f->_password = str_strdup(pwhash);
+    f->password_id = dbstring_save(pwhash);
 }
 
 bool valid_race(const struct faction *f, const struct race *rc)
@@ -844,7 +852,8 @@ int writepasswd(void)
 
         for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
             fprintf(F, "%s:%s:%s:%d\n",
-                itoa36(f->no), faction_getemail(f), f->_password, f->uid);
+                itoa36(f->no), faction_getemail(f),
+               faction_getpassword(f), f->uid);
         }
         fclose(F);
         return 0;
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.h b/src/kernel/faction.h
index 0fe38cb1d..8548328ef 100644
--- a/src/kernel/faction.h
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
 #include "skill.h"
 #include "types.h"
+#include "db/driver.h"
 
 #include <util/resolve.h>
 #include <modules/score.h>
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ extern "C" {
         char *name;
         char *banner;
         char *email;
-        char *_password;
+        dbrow_id password_id;
         int max_spelllevel;
         struct spellbook *spellbook;
         const struct locale *locale;
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ extern "C" {
     void faction_setemail(struct faction *self, const char *email);
 
     void faction_setpassword(struct faction *self, const char *pwhash);
+    const char *faction_getpassword(const struct faction *f);
     bool valid_race(const struct faction *f, const struct race *rc);
 
     void faction_getorigin(const struct faction * f, int id, int *x, int *y);
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index a61e4348f..63e14b3c3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -931,7 +931,6 @@ static void read_password(gamedata *data, faction *f) {
     else {
         faction_setpassword(f, (data->version >= CRYPT_VERSION) ? name : password_hash(name, PASSWORD_DEFAULT));
     }
-    (void)_test_read_password;
 }
 
 void _test_read_password(gamedata *data, faction *f) {
@@ -939,8 +938,7 @@ void _test_read_password(gamedata *data, faction *f) {
 }
 
 static void write_password(gamedata *data, const faction *f) {
-    WRITE_TOK(data->store, (const char *)f->_password);
-    (void)_test_write_password;
+    WRITE_TOK(data->store, faction_getpassword(f));
 }
 
 void _test_write_password(gamedata *data, const faction *f) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.test.c b/src/kernel/save.test.c
index 4844d1189..a70a27c2f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.test.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ static void test_read_password_external(CuTest *tc) {
     }
     f = test_create_faction(NULL);
     faction_setpassword(f, password_hash("secret", PASSWORD_DEFAULT));
-    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, f->_password);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, faction_getpassword(f));
     mstream_init(&data.strm);
     gamedata_init(&data, &store, RELEASE_VERSION);
     WRITE_TOK(data.store, "newpassword");
diff --git a/src/reports.c b/src/reports.c
index 879e7ad3d..8088af347 100644
--- a/src/reports.c
+++ b/src/reports.c
@@ -1554,14 +1554,6 @@ void prepare_report(report_context *ctx, faction *f)
         rule_lighthouse_units = config_get_int("rules.lighthouse.unit_capacity", 0) != 0;
     }
 
-    if (f->age <= 2) {
-        if ((f->flags&FFL_PWMSG) == 0) {
-            /* TODO: this assumes unencrypted passwords */
-            f->flags |= FFL_PWMSG;
-            ADDMSG(&f->msgs, msg_message("changepasswd", "value", f->_password));
-        }
-    }
-
     ctx->f = f;
     ctx->report_time = time(NULL);
     ctx->addresses = NULL;
diff --git a/src/reports.test.c b/src/reports.test.c
index d402b2b6a..e7fcc282b 100644
--- a/src/reports.test.c
+++ b/src/reports.test.c
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ CuSuite *get_reports_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_region_distance);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_region_distance_max);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_region_distance_ql);
-    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_newbie_password_message);
+    DISABLE_TEST(suite, test_newbie_password_message);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_prepare_report);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_seen_neighbours);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_seen_travelthru);