diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 698ded869e..b21ce37cf0 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -2276,6 +2276,7 @@ _set_fcn_cert_8021x (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 		password = path + strcspn (path, " \t");
 		if (password[0] != '\0') {
 			password[0] = '\0';
+			password++;
 			while (nm_utils_is_separator (password[0]))
 				password++;
 		} else {