diff --git a/comments.php b/comments.php
index 60f01582..7ee9d4b2 100644
--- a/comments.php
+++ b/comments.php
@@ -11,18 +11,18 @@
  * @since _s 1.0
  */
 ?>
+
+<?php
+	/*
+	 * If the current post is protected by a password and
+	 * the visitor has not yet entered the password we will
+	 * return early without loading the comments.
+	 */
+	if ( post_password_required() )
+		return;
+?>
+
 	<div id="comments" class="comments-area">
-	<?php if ( post_password_required() ) : ?>
-		<p class="nopassword"><?php _e( 'This post is password protected. Enter the password to view any comments.', '_s' ); ?></p>
-	</div><!-- #comments .comments-area -->
-	<?php
-			/* Stop the rest of comments.php from being processed,
-			 * but don't kill the script entirely -- we still have
-			 * to fully load the template.
-			 */
-			return;
-		endif;
-	?>
 
 	<?php // You can start editing here -- including this comment! ?>