diff --git a/debian/aegir3-hostmaster.config b/debian/aegir3-hostmaster.config
index c3a972d8af3ea2e5fce9ef4fae342b7f1dc6a441..05a8f19b57918c3380dbc5fbb35cf3294364e57f 100644
--- a/debian/aegir3-hostmaster.config
+++ b/debian/aegir3-hostmaster.config
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ db_input low aegir/db_host || true
 db_input low aegir/db_user || true
 # if we got here, it means aegir is not installed and we forgot the
 # root password, ask for it again
-db_fset aegir/db_password "seen" "false" || true
+db_get aegir/db_password
+if [ -z "$RET" ] ; then
+    db_fset aegir/db_password "seen" "false" || true
+fi
 db_input high aegir/db_password || true
 
 # (taken from the webapps-common httpd functions)