diff --git a/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/el/xcat-cmdline.sh b/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/el/xcat-cmdline.sh
index db9bfa206..8039ee149 100755
--- a/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/el/xcat-cmdline.sh
+++ b/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/el/xcat-cmdline.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ echo PS1="'"'[xCAT Genesis running on \H \w]\$ '"'" > /.bash_profile
 mkdir -p /etc/ssh
 mkdir -p /var/tmp/
 mkdir -p /var/empty/sshd
-sed -i '/^root:x/d' /etc/passwd
+# dracut writes this entry itself, with an empty password field unless the image is
+# built --hostonly. Match the user name only.
+sed -i '/^root:/d' /etc/passwd
 cat >>/etc/passwd <<"__ENDL"
 root:x:0:0::/:/bin/bash
 sshd:x:30:30:SSH User:/var/empty/sshd:/sbin/nologin
diff --git a/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/ubuntu/xcat-cmdline.sh b/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/ubuntu/xcat-cmdline.sh
index ea7697b91..c54ec1df3 100755
--- a/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/ubuntu/xcat-cmdline.sh
+++ b/xCAT-genesis-builder/dracut_105/ubuntu/xcat-cmdline.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ echo PS1="'"'[xCAT Genesis running on \H \w]\$ '"'" > /.bash_profile
 mkdir -p /etc/ssh
 mkdir -p /var/tmp/
 mkdir -p /var/empty/sshd
-sed -i '/^root:x/d' /etc/passwd
+# dracut writes this entry itself, with an empty password field unless the image is
+# built --hostonly. Match the user name only.
+sed -i '/^root:/d' /etc/passwd
 cat >>/etc/passwd <<"__ENDL"
 root:x:0:0::/:/bin/bash
 sshd:x:30:30:SSH User:/var/empty/sshd:/sbin/nologin
diff --git a/xCAT-genesis-builder/xcat-cmdline.sh b/xCAT-genesis-builder/xcat-cmdline.sh
index 525ea19c9..3d0de2382 100755
--- a/xCAT-genesis-builder/xcat-cmdline.sh
+++ b/xCAT-genesis-builder/xcat-cmdline.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ echo PS1="'"'[xCAT Genesis running on \H \w]\$ '"'" > /.bash_profile
 mkdir -p /etc/ssh
 mkdir -p /var/tmp/
 mkdir -p /var/empty/sshd
-sed -i '/^root:x/d' /etc/passwd
+# dracut writes this entry itself, with an empty password field unless the image is
+# built --hostonly. Match the user name only.
+sed -i '/^root:/d' /etc/passwd
 cat >>/etc/passwd <<"__ENDL"
 root:x:0:0::/:/bin/bash
 sshd:x:30:30:SSH User:/var/empty/sshd:/sbin/nologin