diff --git a/js/functions.js b/js/functions.js
index 53f82e960f..1bf638dfce 100644
--- a/js/functions.js
+++ b/js/functions.js
@@ -4766,7 +4766,7 @@ AJAX.registerOnload('functions.js', function(){
      * method is selected
      * Used in user_password.php (Change Password link on index.php)
      */
-    $(document).on("change", 'input[type=radio][name="pw_hash"]', function() {
+    $(document).on("change", 'select#select_authentication_plugin_cp', function() {
         if (this.value === 'sha256_password') {
             $('#ssl_reqd_warning_cp').show();
         } else {
diff --git a/libraries/display_change_password.lib.php b/libraries/display_change_password.lib.php
index 0ed22b3a9f..2c99a993c3 100644
--- a/libraries/display_change_password.lib.php
+++ b/libraries/display_change_password.lib.php
@@ -79,52 +79,31 @@ function PMA_getHtmlForChangePassword($username, $hostname)
         . '</tr>';
 
     $html .= '<tr class="vmiddle">'
-        . '<td>' . __('Password Hashing:') . '</td>';
+        . '<td>' . __('Password Hashing:') . '</td><td>';
 
     $serverType = PMA_Util::getServerType();
+    $orig_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
+        'change',
+        $username,
+        $hostname
+    );
+
     if (($serverType == 'MySQL'
         && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50507)
         || ($serverType == 'MariaDB'
         && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50200)
     ) {
-
-        $active_auth_plugins = PMA_getActiveAuthPlugins();
-
-        $default_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
-            'change', $username, $hostname
+        $auth_plugin_dropdown = PMA_getHtmlForAuthPluginsDropdown(
+            $username, $hostname, $orig_auth_plugin, 'change_pw', 'new'
         );
 
-        $iter = 0;
-        $total_plugins = count($active_auth_plugins);
-        foreach ($active_auth_plugins as $plugin) {
-            if ($plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] == 'mysql_old_password') {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            if ($iter != 0) {
-                $html .= '<td>&nbsp;</td>';
-            }
-            $html .= '<td>'
-                . '<input type="radio" name="pw_hash" value="'
-                . $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] . '"'
-                . ($default_auth_plugin == $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] ? 'checked="checked" ' : '')
-                . ' id="radio_pw_hash_' . $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] . '" />'
-                . '<label for="radio_pw_hash_' . $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] . '" >'
-                . __($plugin['PLUGIN_DESCRIPTION']) . ' </label></td></tr>';
-
-            if ($iter == $total_plugins - 2) {
-                $html .= '<tr id="tr_element_before_generate_password">';
-            } else if ($iter != $total_plugins - 1) {
-                $html .= '<tr>';
-            }
-            $iter++;
-        }
-
-        $html .= '</tr>';
+        $html .= $auth_plugin_dropdown;
+        $html .= '</td></tr>';
+        $html .= '<tr id="tr_element_before_generate_password"></tr>';
         $html .=  '</table>';
 
         $html .= '<div '
-            . ($default_auth_plugin != 'sha256_password' ? 'style="display:none"' : '')
+            . ($orig_auth_plugin != 'sha256_password' ? 'style="display:none"' : '')
             . ' id="ssl_reqd_warning_cp">'
             . PMA_Message::notice(
                 __(
@@ -137,11 +116,11 @@ function PMA_getHtmlForChangePassword($username, $hostname)
                 ->getDisplay()
             . '</div>';
     } else {
-        $html .= '<td>'
-            . '<input type="radio" name="pw_hash" value="mysql_native_password"'
-            . 'checked="checked" id="radio_pw_hash_native" />'
-            . '<label for="radio_pw_hash_native" >'
-            . __('MySQL Native Authentication') . ' </label></td></tr>'
+        $auth_plugin_dropdown = PMA_getHtmlForAuthPluginsDropdown(
+            $username, $hostname, $orig_auth_plugin, 'change_pw', 'old'
+        );
+
+        $html .= $auth_plugin_dropdown . '</td></tr>'
             . '<tr id="tr_element_before_generate_password"></tr>'
             . '</table>';
     }
diff --git a/libraries/server_privileges.lib.php b/libraries/server_privileges.lib.php
index 7dd06ff4d4..e2da8c5380 100644
--- a/libraries/server_privileges.lib.php
+++ b/libraries/server_privileges.lib.php
@@ -1411,6 +1411,50 @@ function PMA_getHtmlForGlobalPrivTableWithCheckboxes(
     return $html_output;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets the currently active authentication plugins
+ *
+ * @param string $username         User name
+ * @param string $hostname         Host name
+ * @param string $orig_auth_plugin Default Authentication plugin
+ * @param string $mode             are we creating a new user or are we just
+ *                                 changing  one?
+ *                                 (allowed values: 'new', 'edit', 'change_pw')
+ * @param string $versions         Is MySQL version newer or older than 5.5.7
+ *
+ * @return string $html_output
+ */
+function PMA_getHtmlForAuthPluginsDropdown(
+    $username,
+    $hostname,
+    $orig_auth_plugin,
+    $mode = 'new',
+    $versions = 'new'
+) {
+    $html_output = '<select '
+        . 'id="select_authentication_plugin'
+        . ($mode =='change_pw' ? '_cp' : '') . '" '
+        . 'name="authentication_plugin" >';
+    if ($versions == 'new') {
+        $active_auth_plugins = PMA_getActiveAuthPlugins();
+
+        foreach ($active_auth_plugins as $plugin) {
+            if ($plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] == 'mysql_old_password') {
+                continue;
+            }
+            $html_output .= '<option value="' . $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] . '"'
+                . ($orig_auth_plugin == $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] ? 'selected ' : '')
+                . '>' . __($plugin['PLUGIN_DESCRIPTION']) . '</option>';
+        }
+        $html_output .= '</select>';
+    } else {
+        $html_output .= '<option value="mysql_native_password" >'
+            . __('MySQL Native Authentication') . '</option>'
+            . '</select>';
+    }
+
+    return $html_output;
+}
 /**
  * Gets the currently active authentication plugins
  *
@@ -1710,6 +1754,12 @@ function PMA_getHtmlForLoginInformationFields(
         . '<label for="select_authentication_plugin" >';
 
     $serverType = PMA_Util::getServerType();
+    $auth_plugin_dropdown = '';
+    $orig_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
+        $mode,
+        $username,
+        $hostname
+    );
 
     if (($serverType == 'MySQL'
         && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50507)
@@ -1717,49 +1767,36 @@ function PMA_getHtmlForLoginInformationFields(
         && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50200)
     ) {
         $html_output .= __('Authentication Plugin')
-        . '</label><span class="options">&nbsp;</span>' . "\n"
-        . '<select id="select_authentication_plugin" name="authentication_plugin" >';
+        . '</label><span class="options">&nbsp;</span>' . "\n";
 
-        $active_auth_plugins = PMA_getActiveAuthPlugins();
-
-        $orig_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
-            $mode, $username, $hostname
+        $auth_plugin_dropdown = PMA_getHtmlForAuthPluginsDropdown(
+            $username, $hostname, $orig_auth_plugin, $mode, 'new'
         );
-
-        foreach ($active_auth_plugins as $plugin) {
-            if ($plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] == 'mysql_old_password') {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            $html_output .= '<option value="' . $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] . '"'
-                . ($orig_auth_plugin == $plugin['PLUGIN_NAME'] ? 'selected ' : '')
-                . '>' . __($plugin['PLUGIN_DESCRIPTION']) . '</option>';
-        }
-
-        $html_output .= '</select>'
-            . '<div id="ssl_reqd_warning" '
-            . ($orig_auth_plugin == 'sha256_password' ? '' : ' style="display:none"')
-            . ' >'
-            . PMA_Message::notice(
-                __(
-                    'This method requires using an \'<i>SSL connection</i>\' '
-                    . 'or an \'<i>unencrypted connection that encrypts the password '
-                    . 'using RSA</i>\'; while connecting to the server.'
-                )
-                . PMA_Util::showMySQLDocu('sha256-authentication-plugin')
-            )->getDisplay()
-            . '</div>';
     } else {
         $html_output .= __('Password Hashing Method')
-            . '</label><span class="options">&nbsp;</span>' . "\n"
-            . '<select id="select_authentication_plugin" '
-            . 'name="authentication_plugin" >'
-            . '<option value="mysql_native_password" >'
-            . __('MySQL Native Authentication') . '</option>'
-            . '</select>';
+            . '</label><span class="options">&nbsp;</span>' . "\n";
+        $auth_plugin_dropdown = PMA_getHtmlForAuthPluginsDropdown(
+            $username, $hostname, $orig_auth_plugin, $mode, 'old'
+        );
     }
+    $html_output .= $auth_plugin_dropdown;
+
+    $html_output .= '<div '
+        . ($orig_auth_plugin != 'sha256_password' ? 'style="display:none"' : '')
+        . ' id="ssl_reqd_warning">'
+        . PMA_Message::notice(
+            __(
+                'This method requires using an \'<i>SSL connection</i>\' '
+                . 'or an \'<i>unencrypted connection that encrypts the password '
+                . 'using RSA</i>\'; while connecting to the server.'
+            )
+            . PMA_Util::showMySQLDocu('sha256-authentication-plugin')
+        )
+            ->getDisplay()
+        . '</div>';
+
     $html_output .= '</div>' . "\n"
-       // Generate password added here via jQuery
+        // Generate password added here via jQuery
        . '</fieldset>' . "\n";
 
     return $html_output;
@@ -1898,14 +1935,19 @@ function PMA_updatePassword($err_url, $username, $hostname)
 
     // here $nopass could be == 1
     if (empty($message)) {
+        $hashing_function = 'PASSWORD';
+
         if (PMA_Util::getServerType() == 'MySQL'
             && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50706
         ) {
-            if (! empty($_REQUEST['pw_hash']) && $_REQUEST['pw_hash'] != 'old') {
+            if (isset($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+                && $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'] != 'mysql_old_password'
+            ) {
                 $query_prefix = "ALTER USER '"
                     . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($username)
                     . "'@'" . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($hostname) . "'"
-                    . " IDENTIFIED WITH " . $_REQUEST['pw_hash']
+                    . " IDENTIFIED WITH "
+                    . $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin']
                     . " BY '";
             } else {
                 $query_prefix = "ALTER USER '"
@@ -1919,28 +1961,64 @@ function PMA_updatePassword($err_url, $username, $hostname)
 
             $local_query = $query_prefix
                 . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($_POST['pma_pw']) . "'";
-        } else {
-            if (! empty($_REQUEST['pw_hash'])
-                && $_REQUEST['pw_hash'] == 'mysql_old_password'
-            ) {
-                $hashing_function = 'OLD_PASSWORD';
-            } elseif (! empty($_REQUEST['pw_hash'])
-                && $_REQUEST['pw_hash'] == 'sha256_password'
-            ) {
-                $hashing_function = 'PASSWORD';
+        } else if ((PMA_Util::getServerType() == 'MySQL'
+            && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50507)
+            || (PMA_Util::getServerType() == 'MariaDB'
+            && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50200)
+        ) {
+            // Backup the old value, to be reset later
+            $row = $GLOBALS['dbi']->fetchSingleRow(
+                'SELECT @@old_passwords;'
+            );
+            $orig_value = $row['@@old_passwords'];
 
-                // Backup the old value, to be reset later
-                $row = $GLOBALS['dbi']->fetchSingleRow(
-                    'SELECT @@old_passwords;'
-                );
-                $orig_value = $row['@@old_passwords'];
+            if (isset($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+                && $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'] == 'mysql_native_password'
+            ) {
+                // Set the hashing method used by PASSWORD()
+                // to be 'mysql_native_password' type
+                $GLOBALS['dbi']->tryQuery('SET old_passwords = 0;');
+
+            } else if (isset($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+                && $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'] == 'sha256_password'
+            ) {
                 // Set the hashing method used by PASSWORD()
                 // to be 'sha256_password' type
-                $GLOBALS['dbi']->tryQuery('SET old_passwords = 2;');
-            } else {
-                $hashing_function = 'PASSWORD';
+                $GLOBALS['dbi']->tryQuery('SET `old_passwords` = 2;');
             }
 
+            $update_plugin_query = "UPDATE `mysql`.`user` SET"
+                . " `plugin` = '" . $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'] . "'"
+                . " WHERE `User` = '" . $username . "' AND Host = '"
+                . $hostname . "';";
+
+            // Update the plugin for the user
+            $GLOBALS['dbi']->tryQuery($update_plugin_query)
+                or PMA_Util::mysqlDie(
+                    $GLOBALS['dbi']->getError(),
+                    $update_plugin_query,
+                    false, $err_url
+                );
+
+            $sql_query        = 'SET PASSWORD FOR \''
+                . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($username)
+                . '\'@\'' . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($hostname) . '\' = '
+                . (($_POST['pma_pw'] == '')
+                    ? '\'\''
+                    : $hashing_function . '(\''
+                    . preg_replace('@.@s', '*', $_POST['pma_pw']) . '\')');
+
+            $local_query      = 'SET PASSWORD FOR \''
+                . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($username)
+                . '\'@\'' . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($hostname) . '\' = '
+                . (($_POST['pma_pw'] == '') ? '\'\'' : $hashing_function
+                . '(\'' . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($_POST['pma_pw']) . '\')');
+        } else {
+            if (isset($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+                && $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'] == 'mysql_native_password'
+            ) {
+                $GLOBALS['dbi']->tryQuery('SET `old_passwords` = 0;');
+            }
             $sql_query        = 'SET PASSWORD FOR \''
                 . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($username)
                 . '\'@\'' . PMA_Util::sqlAddSlashes($hostname) . '\' = '
diff --git a/user_password.php b/user_password.php
index 71e5b4e3ce..55c78c970b 100644
--- a/user_password.php
+++ b/user_password.php
@@ -144,10 +144,16 @@ function PMA_changePassword($password, $message, $change_password_message)
     $curr_user = $row['user'];
     list($username, $hostname) = explode('@', $curr_user);
 
-    if (PMA_Util::getServerType() === 'MySQL' && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50706) {
+    $serverType = PMA_Util::getServerType();
 
-        if (isset($_REQUEST['pw_hash']) && ! empty($_REQUEST['pw_hash'])) {
-            $orig_auth_plugin = $_REQUEST['pw_hash'];
+    if ($serverType === 'MySQL'
+        && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50706
+    ) {
+
+        if (isset($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+            && ! empty($_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'])
+        ) {
+            $orig_auth_plugin = $_REQUEST['authentication_plugin'];
         } else {
             $orig_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
                 'change', $username, $hostname
@@ -158,11 +164,15 @@ function PMA_changePassword($password, $message, $change_password_message)
             . '\' IDENTIFIED WITH ' . $orig_auth_plugin . ' BY '
             . (($password == '') ? '\'\'' : '\'***\'');
     } else {
-        // For MySQL versions 5.6.6+,
+        // For MySQL versions 5.5.7+ and MariaDB versions 5.2+,
         // explicitly set value of `old_passwords` so that
         // it does not give an error while using
         // the PASSWORD() function
-        if (PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50606) {
+        if (($serverType == 'MySQL'
+            && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50507)
+            || ($serverType == 'MariaDB'
+            && PMA_MYSQL_INT_VERSION >= 50200)
+        ) {
             $orig_auth_plugin = PMA_getCurrentAuthenticationPlugin(
                 'change', $username, $hostname
             );