diff --git a/wp-includes/post-template.php b/wp-includes/post-template.php
index 21620b456f..d51d00953e 100644
--- a/wp-includes/post-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/post-template.php
@@ -567,8 +567,6 @@ function get_body_class( $class = '' ) {
  * @return bool false if a password is not required or the correct password cookie is present, true otherwise.
  */
 function post_password_required( $post = null ) {
-	global $wp_hasher;
-
 	$post = get_post($post);
 
 	if ( empty( $post->post_password ) )
@@ -577,15 +575,14 @@ function post_password_required( $post = null ) {
 	if ( ! isset( $_COOKIE['wp-postpass_' . COOKIEHASH] ) )
 		return true;
 
-	if ( empty( $wp_hasher ) ) {
-		require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-includes/class-phpass.php');
-		// By default, use the portable hash from phpass
-		$wp_hasher = new PasswordHash(8, true);
-	}
+	require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-includes/class-phpass.php';
+	$hasher = new PasswordHash( 8, true );
 
 	$hash = stripslashes( $_COOKIE[ 'wp-postpass_' . COOKIEHASH ] );
+	if ( 0 !== strpos( $hash, '$P$B' ) )
+		return true;
 
-	return ! $wp_hasher->CheckPassword( $post->post_password, $hash );
+	return ! $hasher->CheckPassword( $post->post_password, $hash );
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/wp-login.php b/wp-login.php
index 239e4a9c83..209341fa6a 100644
--- a/wp-login.php
+++ b/wp-login.php
@@ -389,14 +389,11 @@ $http_post = ('POST' == $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']);
 switch ($action) {
 
 case 'postpass' :
-	if ( empty( $wp_hasher ) ) {
-		require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-includes/class-phpass.php' );
-		// By default, use the portable hash from phpass
-		$wp_hasher = new PasswordHash(8, true);
-	}
+	require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-includes/class-phpass.php';
+	$hasher = new PasswordHash( 8, true );
 
 	// 10 days
-	setcookie( 'wp-postpass_' . COOKIEHASH, $wp_hasher->HashPassword( stripslashes( $_POST['post_password'] ) ), time() + 10 * DAY_IN_SECONDS, COOKIEPATH );
+	setcookie( 'wp-postpass_' . COOKIEHASH, $hasher->HashPassword( stripslashes( $_POST['post_password'] ) ), time() + 10 * DAY_IN_SECONDS, COOKIEPATH );
 
 	wp_safe_redirect( wp_get_referer() );
 	exit();