diff --git a/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/artifact/deployer/RepositoryInfoBuilder.java b/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/artifact/deployer/RepositoryInfoBuilder.java
index 410dd3e5..be517f44 100644
--- a/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/artifact/deployer/RepositoryInfoBuilder.java
+++ b/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/artifact/deployer/RepositoryInfoBuilder.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import org.apache.maven.project.Project;
  * Perform mapping between project's properties and attributes of DeployRequest class.
  * 
  * @author <a href="mailto:michal.maczka@dimatics.com">Michal Maczka</a> 
- * @version $Id: RepositoryInfoBuilder.java,v 1.4 2004/05/12 12:33:55 evenisse Exp $
+ * @version $Id: RepositoryInfoBuilder.java,v 1.5 2004/06/25 18:19:35 brett Exp $
  */
 public class RepositoryInfoBuilder
 {
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ public class RepositoryInfoBuilder
 
         String proxyPort = (String) project.getContext().getProxyPort();
 
+        if (username == null) {
+            username = (String) project.getContext().getVariable("maven.username");
+        }
+
         repoInfo.setUserName(username);
         repoInfo.setPassword(password);
         repoInfo.setPassphrase(passphrase);
diff --git a/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/deploy/deployers/GenericSshDeployer.java b/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/deploy/deployers/GenericSshDeployer.java
index 48038e6a..665b3665 100644
--- a/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/deploy/deployers/GenericSshDeployer.java
+++ b/artifact/src/main/org/apache/maven/deploy/deployers/GenericSshDeployer.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import com.jcraft.jsch.UserInfo;
  * and if that doesn't work then we fall back
  * to using the login and password
  * 
- * @version $Id: GenericSshDeployer.java,v 1.10 2004/06/25 13:50:05 brett Exp $
+ * @version $Id: GenericSshDeployer.java,v 1.11 2004/06/25 18:19:35 brett Exp $
  * @todo still have to account for differing setups for people deploying to
  *      their own sites and to the central repository.
  * @todo improve exception handling
@@ -118,11 +118,7 @@ public abstract class GenericSshDeployer extends AbstractDeployer
                 {
                     if (repoInfo.getPassphrase() == null)
                     {
-                        String msg =
-                            "Private key provided "
-                                + "without passphrase for repo: "
-                                + repoInfo.getRepositoryAlias();
-                        throw new AuthenticationException(msg);
+                        repoInfo.setPassphrase("");
                     }
 
                     LOG.info("Using private key: " + privateKey);