diff --git a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder.go b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder.go
index 9c2e02d32..3974511a3 100644
--- a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder.go
+++ b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func NewTemplateBuilder(template string) (*TemplateBuilder, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (s *TemplateBuilder) BuildLinux(sshAuthorizedKey string) error {
+func (s *TemplateBuilder) BuildLinux(sshAuthorizedKey string, disablePasswordAuthentication bool) error {
 	resource, err := s.getResourceByType(resourceVirtualMachine)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ func (s *TemplateBuilder) BuildLinux(sshAuthorizedKey string) error {
 		},
 	}
 
+	if disablePasswordAuthentication {
+		profile.LinuxConfiguration.DisablePasswordAuthentication = to.BoolPtr(true)
+		profile.AdminPassword = nil
+	}
+
 	s.osType = compute.Linux
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux00.approved.json b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux00.approved.json
index de63373bb..403de815c 100644
--- a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux00.approved.json
+++ b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux00.approved.json
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@
           ]
         },
         "osProfile": {
-          "adminPassword": "[parameters('adminPassword')]",
           "adminUsername": "[parameters('adminUsername')]",
           "computerName": "[parameters('vmName')]",
           "linuxConfiguration": {
+            "disablePasswordAuthentication": true,
             "ssh": {
               "publicKeys": [
                 {
diff --git a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux02.approved.json b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux02.approved.json
index f7f3bed74..fc1441816 100644
--- a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux02.approved.json
+++ b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestBuildLinux02.approved.json
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@
           ]
         },
         "osProfile": {
-          "adminPassword": "[parameters('adminPassword')]",
           "adminUsername": "[parameters('adminUsername')]",
           "computerName": "[parameters('vmName')]",
           "linuxConfiguration": {
+            "disablePasswordAuthentication": true,
             "ssh": {
               "publicKeys": [
                 {
diff --git a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestSetIdentity00.approved.json b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestSetIdentity00.approved.json
index a182d7e8f..606ebadba 100644
--- a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestSetIdentity00.approved.json
+++ b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.TestSetIdentity00.approved.json
@@ -132,10 +132,10 @@
           ]
         },
         "osProfile": {
-          "adminPassword": "[parameters('adminPassword')]",
           "adminUsername": "[parameters('adminUsername')]",
           "computerName": "[parameters('vmName')]",
           "linuxConfiguration": {
+            "disablePasswordAuthentication": true,
             "ssh": {
               "publicKeys": [
                 {
diff --git a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.go b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.go
index 2532bcc06..386f13ef4 100644
--- a/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/azure/common/template/template_builder_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func TestBuildLinux00(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--")
+	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", true)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func TestBuildLinux01(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--")
+	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestBuildLinux02(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--")
+	testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", true)
 	testSubject.SetImageUrl("http://azure/custom.vhd", compute.Linux, compute.CachingTypesReadWrite)
 	testSubject.SetOSDiskSizeGB(100)
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func TestSharedImageGallery00(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--")
+	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func TestNetworkSecurityGroup00(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--")
+	err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func TestSetIdentity00(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	if err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--"); err != nil {
+	if err = testSubject.BuildLinux("--test-ssh-authorized-key--", true); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}