diff --git a/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/PrimitiveFtpdActivity.java b/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/PrimitiveFtpdActivity.java
index fe3356f1..1bdadca4 100644
--- a/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/PrimitiveFtpdActivity.java
+++ b/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/PrimitiveFtpdActivity.java
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ protected void handleStart() {
 		handleStart(null, null);
 	}
 	protected void handleStart(MenuItem startIcon, MenuItem stopIcon) {
-		if (StringUtils.isBlank(prefsBean.getPassword()))
+		if (!isPasswordOk())
 		{
 			Toast.makeText(
 				getApplicationContext(),
@@ -691,6 +691,15 @@ protected void handlePrefs() {
 		startActivity(intent);
     }
 
+	protected boolean isPasswordOk() {
+		if (!prefsBean.getServerToStart().isPasswordMandatory()
+				&& prefsBean.isPubKeyAuth())
+		{
+			return true;
+		}
+		return !StringUtils.isBlank(prefsBean.getPassword());
+	}
+
     /**
      * @return Intent to start/stop {@link FtpServerService}.
      */
diff --git a/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/prefs/ServerToStart.java b/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/prefs/ServerToStart.java
index 34bb9326..9501c245 100644
--- a/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/prefs/ServerToStart.java
+++ b/primitiveFTPd/src/org/primftpd/prefs/ServerToStart.java
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ public boolean startFtp() {
 		public boolean startSftp() {
 			return true;
 		}
+		@Override
+		public boolean isPasswordMandatory() {
+			return false;
+		}
 	},
 	ALL("0") {
 		@Override
@@ -60,4 +64,7 @@ public static ServerToStart byXmlVal(String xmlVal) {
 
 	public abstract boolean startFtp();
 	public abstract boolean startSftp();
+	public boolean isPasswordMandatory() {
+		return true;
+	}
 }