diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index efeb176e3d..66c6adc4f5 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -17070,7 +17070,7 @@ shell daemon, @command{sshd}.  Its value must be an
 (service openssh-service-type
          (openssh-configuration
            (x11-forwarding? #t)
-           (permit-root-login 'without-password)
+           (permit-root-login 'prohibit-password)
            (authorized-keys
              `(("alice" ,(local-file "alice.pub"))
                ("bob" ,(local-file "bob.pub"))))))
@@ -17104,7 +17104,7 @@ TCP port on which @command{sshd} listens for incoming connections.
 @item @code{permit-root-login} (default: @code{#f})
 This field determines whether and when to allow logins as root.  If
 @code{#f}, root logins are disallowed; if @code{#t}, they are allowed.
-If it's the symbol @code{'without-password}, then root logins are
+If it's the symbol @code{'prohibit-password}, then root logins are
 permitted but not with password-based authentication.
 
 @item @code{allow-empty-passwords?} (default: @code{#f})
@@ -29333,7 +29333,7 @@ cluster node that supports multiple storage backends, and installs the
                  ;; Ganeti uses SSH to communicate between nodes.
                  (service openssh-service-type
                           (openssh-configuration
-                           (permit-root-login 'without-password)))
+                           (permit-root-login 'prohibit-password)))
 
                  (service ganeti-service-type
                           (ganeti-configuration
diff --git a/gnu/machine/digital-ocean.scm b/gnu/machine/digital-ocean.scm
index 82383a8c7c..d97c300d18 100644
--- a/gnu/machine/digital-ocean.scm
+++ b/gnu/machine/digital-ocean.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2019 Jakob L. Kreuze <zerodaysfordays@sdf.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Brice Waegeneire <brice@waegenei.re>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ cat > /etc/bootstrap-config.scm << EOF
                  (service openssh-service-type
                           (openssh-configuration
                            (log-level 'debug)
-                           (permit-root-login 'without-password))))
+                           (permit-root-login 'prohibit-password))))
            %base-services)))
 EOF
 # guix pull
diff --git a/gnu/services/ssh.scm b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
index 1891db0487..be97c1322f 100644
--- a/gnu/services/ssh.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2019 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 pinoaffe <pinoaffe@airmail.cc>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 Oleg Pykhalov <go.wigust@gmail.com>
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Brice Waegeneire <brice@waegenei.re>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ The other options should be self-descriptive."
   ;; integer
   (port-number           openssh-configuration-port-number
                          (default 22))
-  ;; Boolean | 'without-password
+  ;; Boolean | 'prohibit-password
   (permit-root-login     openssh-configuration-permit-root-login
                          (default #f))
   ;; Boolean
@@ -441,7 +442,12 @@ of user-name/file-like tuples."
                    #$(match (openssh-configuration-permit-root-login config)
                        (#t "yes")
                        (#f "no")
-                       ('without-password "without-password")))
+                       ('without-password
+                        (format (current-error-port) "warning: Option \
+'without-password for openssh-configuration-permit-root-login field is \
+deprecated.  Please use 'prohibit-password instead.\n")
+                        "prohibit-password")
+                       ('prohibit-password "prohibit-password")))
            (format port "PermitEmptyPasswords ~a\n"
                    #$(if (openssh-configuration-allow-empty-passwords? config)
                          "yes" "no"))
diff --git a/gnu/tests/ganeti.scm b/gnu/tests/ganeti.scm
index ff853a7149..19c26b86dd 100644
--- a/gnu/tests/ganeti.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests/ganeti.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 Marius Bakke <marius@gnu.org>.
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Brice Waegeneire <brice@waegenei.re>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@
 
                    (service openssh-service-type
                             (openssh-configuration
-                             (permit-root-login 'without-password)))
+                             (permit-root-login 'prohibit-password)))
 
                    (service ganeti-service-type
                             (ganeti-configuration
