diff --git a/ssh/server.go b/ssh/server.go
index cec6b80bc6..3d4f176436 100644
--- a/ssh/server.go
+++ b/ssh/server.go
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ userAuthLoop:
 				return nil, err
 			}
 
-			return nil, nil
+			return nil, authErr
 		}
 
 		authFailures++