#### B.3.2.4 Password Fails When Entered Interactively

 MySQL client programs prompt for a password when invoked with a [`--password`](connection-options.html#option_general_password) or `-p` option that has no following password value:

```
$> mysql -u user_name -p
Enter password:
```

 On some systems, you may find that your password works when specified in an option file or on the command line, but not when you enter it interactively at the `Enter password:` prompt. This occurs when the library provided by the system to read passwords limits password values to a small number of characters (typically eight). That is a problem with the system library, not with MySQL. To work around it, change your MySQL password to a value that is eight or fewer characters long, or put your password in an option file.

