diff --git a/authority/authority.go b/authority/authority.go
index 1b060ef8..16968d9d 100644
--- a/authority/authority.go
+++ b/authority/authority.go
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ type Authority struct {
 	linkedCAToken string
 
 	// X509 CA
+	password           []byte
+	issuerPassword     []byte
 	x509CAService      cas.CertificateAuthorityService
 	rootX509Certs      []*x509.Certificate
 	rootX509CertPool   *x509.CertPool
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ type Authority struct {
 	scepService *scep.Service
 
 	// SSH CA
+	sshHostPassword         []byte
+	sshUserPassword         []byte
 	sshCAUserCertSignKey    ssh.Signer
 	sshCAHostCertSignKey    ssh.Signer
 	sshCAUserCerts          []ssh.PublicKey
@@ -206,6 +210,21 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 
 	var err error
 
+	// Set password if they are not set.
+	var configPassword []byte
+	if a.config.Password != "" {
+		configPassword = []byte(a.config.Password)
+	}
+	if configPassword != nil && a.password == nil {
+		a.password = configPassword
+	}
+	if a.sshHostPassword == nil {
+		a.sshHostPassword = a.password
+	}
+	if a.sshUserPassword == nil {
+		a.sshUserPassword = a.password
+	}
+
 	// Automatically enable admin for all linked cas.
 	if a.linkedCAToken != "" {
 		a.config.AuthorityConfig.EnableAdmin = true
@@ -238,6 +257,11 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 			options = *a.config.AuthorityConfig.Options
 		}
 
+		// Set the issuer password if passed in the flags.
+		if options.CertificateIssuer != nil && a.issuerPassword != nil {
+			options.CertificateIssuer.Password = string(a.issuerPassword)
+		}
+
 		// Read intermediate and create X509 signer for default CAS.
 		if options.Is(casapi.SoftCAS) {
 			options.CertificateChain, err = pemutil.ReadCertificateBundle(a.config.IntermediateCert)
@@ -246,7 +270,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 			}
 			options.Signer, err = a.keyManager.CreateSigner(&kmsapi.CreateSignerRequest{
 				SigningKey: a.config.IntermediateKey,
-				Password:   []byte(a.config.Password),
+				Password:   []byte(a.password),
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -315,7 +339,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		if a.config.SSH.HostKey != "" {
 			signer, err := a.keyManager.CreateSigner(&kmsapi.CreateSignerRequest{
 				SigningKey: a.config.SSH.HostKey,
-				Password:   []byte(a.config.Password),
+				Password:   []byte(a.sshHostPassword),
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -341,7 +365,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		if a.config.SSH.UserKey != "" {
 			signer, err := a.keyManager.CreateSigner(&kmsapi.CreateSignerRequest{
 				SigningKey: a.config.SSH.UserKey,
-				Password:   []byte(a.config.Password),
+				Password:   []byte(a.sshUserPassword),
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -420,7 +444,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		}
 		options.Signer, err = a.keyManager.CreateSigner(&kmsapi.CreateSignerRequest{
 			SigningKey: a.config.IntermediateKey,
-			Password:   []byte(a.config.Password),
+			Password:   []byte(a.password),
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -429,7 +453,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		if km, ok := a.keyManager.(kmsapi.Decrypter); ok {
 			options.Decrypter, err = km.CreateDecrypter(&kmsapi.CreateDecrypterRequest{
 				DecryptionKey: a.config.IntermediateKey,
-				Password:      []byte(a.config.Password),
+				Password:      []byte(a.password),
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -475,7 +499,7 @@ func (a *Authority) init() error {
 		}
 		if len(provs) == 0 && !strings.EqualFold(a.config.AuthorityConfig.DeploymentType, "linked") {
 			// Create First Provisioner
-			prov, err := CreateFirstProvisioner(context.Background(), a.adminDB, a.config.Password)
+			prov, err := CreateFirstProvisioner(context.Background(), a.adminDB, string(a.password))
 			if err != nil {
 				return admin.WrapErrorISE(err, "error creating first provisioner")
 			}
diff --git a/authority/options.go b/authority/options.go
index 6baeb2bc..5c8a6e66 100644
--- a/authority/options.go
+++ b/authority/options.go
@@ -38,6 +38,42 @@ func WithConfigFile(filename string) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithPassword set the password to decrypt the intermediate key as well as the
+// ssh host and user keys if they are not overridden by other options.
+func WithPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(a *Authority) (err error) {
+		a.password = password
+		return
+	}
+}
+
+// WithSSHHostPassword set the password to decrypt the key used to sign SSH host
+// certificates.
+func WithSSHHostPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(a *Authority) (err error) {
+		a.sshHostPassword = password
+		return
+	}
+}
+
+// WithSSHUserPassword set the password to decrypt the key used to sign SSH user
+// certificates.
+func WithSSHUserPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(a *Authority) (err error) {
+		a.sshUserPassword = password
+		return
+	}
+}
+
+// WithIssuerPassword set the password to decrypt the certificate issuer private
+// key used in RA mode.
+func WithIssuerPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(a *Authority) (err error) {
+		a.issuerPassword = password
+		return
+	}
+}
+
 // WithDatabase sets an already initialized authority database to a new
 // authority. This option is intended to be use on graceful reloads.
 func WithDatabase(db db.AuthDB) Option {
diff --git a/ca/ca.go b/ca/ca.go
index 51d15bec..00a5970a 100644
--- a/ca/ca.go
+++ b/ca/ca.go
@@ -29,11 +29,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type options struct {
-	configFile     string
-	linkedCAToken  string
-	password       []byte
-	issuerPassword []byte
-	database       db.AuthDB
+	configFile      string
+	linkedCAToken   string
+	password        []byte
+	issuerPassword  []byte
+	sshHostPassword []byte
+	sshUserPassword []byte
+	database        db.AuthDB
 }
 
 func (o *options) apply(opts []Option) {
@@ -61,6 +63,22 @@ func WithPassword(password []byte) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithSSHHostPassword sets the given password to decrypt the key used to sign
+// ssh host certificates.
+func WithSSHHostPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(o *options) {
+		o.sshHostPassword = password
+	}
+}
+
+// WithSSHUserPassword sets the given password to decrypt the key used to sign
+// ssh user certificates.
+func WithSSHUserPassword(password []byte) Option {
+	return func(o *options) {
+		o.sshUserPassword = password
+	}
+}
+
 // WithIssuerPassword sets the given password as the configured certificate
 // issuer password in the CA options.
 func WithIssuerPassword(password []byte) Option {
@@ -106,19 +124,14 @@ func New(config *config.Config, opts ...Option) (*CA, error) {
 
 // Init initializes the CA with the given configuration.
 func (ca *CA) Init(config *config.Config) (*CA, error) {
-	// Intermediate Password.
-	if len(ca.opts.password) > 0 {
-		ca.config.Password = string(ca.opts.password)
-	}
-
-	// Certificate issuer password for RA mode.
-	if len(ca.opts.issuerPassword) > 0 {
-		if ca.config.AuthorityConfig != nil && ca.config.AuthorityConfig.CertificateIssuer != nil {
-			ca.config.AuthorityConfig.CertificateIssuer.Password = string(ca.opts.issuerPassword)
-		}
+	// Set password, it's ok to set nil password, the ca will prompt for them if
+	// they are required.
+	opts := []authority.Option{
+		authority.WithPassword(ca.opts.password),
+		authority.WithSSHHostPassword(ca.opts.sshHostPassword),
+		authority.WithSSHUserPassword(ca.opts.sshUserPassword),
+		authority.WithIssuerPassword(ca.opts.issuerPassword),
 	}
-
-	var opts []authority.Option
 	if ca.opts.linkedCAToken != "" {
 		opts = append(opts, authority.WithLinkedCAToken(ca.opts.linkedCAToken))
 	}
@@ -337,6 +350,8 @@ func (ca *CA) Reload() error {
 
 	newCA, err := New(config,
 		WithPassword(ca.opts.password),
+		WithSSHHostPassword(ca.opts.sshHostPassword),
+		WithSSHUserPassword(ca.opts.sshUserPassword),
 		WithIssuerPassword(ca.opts.issuerPassword),
 		WithLinkedCAToken(ca.opts.linkedCAToken),
 		WithConfigFile(ca.opts.configFile),
diff --git a/commands/app.go b/commands/app.go
index aa7b43d4..20e71506 100644
--- a/commands/app.go
+++ b/commands/app.go
@@ -30,6 +30,18 @@ var AppCommand = cli.Command{
 			Name: "password-file",
 			Usage: `path to the <file> containing the password to decrypt the
 intermediate private key.`,
+		},
+		cli.StringFlag{
+			Name: "ssh-host-password-file",
+			Usage: `path to the <file> containing the password to decrypt the
+private key used to sign SSH host certificates. If the flag is not passed it
+will default to --password-file.`,
+		},
+		cli.StringFlag{
+			Name: "ssh-user-password-file",
+			Usage: `path to the <file> containing the password to decrypt the
+private key used to sign SSH user certificates. If the flag is not passed it
+will default to --password-file.`,
 		},
 		cli.StringFlag{
 			Name: "issuer-password-file",
@@ -51,6 +63,8 @@ certificate issuer private key used in the RA mode.`,
 // AppAction is the action used when the top command runs.
 func appAction(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	passFile := ctx.String("password-file")
+	sshHostPassFile := ctx.String("ssh-host-password-file")
+	sshUserPassFile := ctx.String("ssh-user-password-file")
 	issuerPassFile := ctx.String("issuer-password-file")
 	resolver := ctx.String("resolver")
 	token := ctx.String("token")
@@ -89,6 +103,22 @@ To get a linked authority token:
 		password = bytes.TrimRightFunc(password, unicode.IsSpace)
 	}
 
+	var sshHostPassword []byte
+	if sshHostPassFile != "" {
+		if sshHostPassword, err = ioutil.ReadFile(sshHostPassFile); err != nil {
+			fatal(errors.Wrapf(err, "error reading %s", sshHostPassFile))
+		}
+		sshHostPassword = bytes.TrimRightFunc(sshHostPassword, unicode.IsSpace)
+	}
+
+	var sshUserPassword []byte
+	if sshUserPassFile != "" {
+		if sshUserPassword, err = ioutil.ReadFile(sshUserPassFile); err != nil {
+			fatal(errors.Wrapf(err, "error reading %s", sshUserPassFile))
+		}
+		sshUserPassword = bytes.TrimRightFunc(sshUserPassword, unicode.IsSpace)
+	}
+
 	var issuerPassword []byte
 	if issuerPassFile != "" {
 		if issuerPassword, err = ioutil.ReadFile(issuerPassFile); err != nil {
@@ -108,6 +138,8 @@ To get a linked authority token:
 	srv, err := ca.New(config,
 		ca.WithConfigFile(configFile),
 		ca.WithPassword(password),
+		ca.WithSSHHostPassword(sshHostPassword),
+		ca.WithSSHUserPassword(sshUserPassword),
 		ca.WithIssuerPassword(issuerPassword),
 		ca.WithLinkedCAToken(token))
 	if err != nil {