diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 5ace6c07f..bcab2c871 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Changes from Ant 1.8.4 TO Ant 1.9.0
+    Changes from Ant 1.8.4 TO Ant 1.9.0
 ===================================
 
 Changes that could break older environments:
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
  * <get> now supports HTTP redirects using status code 307.
    Bugzilla Report 54374.
 
+ * ssh tasks prompt for kerberos username/password under Java 7
+   Bugzilla Report 53437.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHBase.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHBase.java
index 9250be93a..5e14d8729 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHBase.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ssh/SSHBase.java
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ public abstract class SSHBase extends Task implements LogListener {
         }
 
         Session session = jsch.getSession(userInfo.getName(), host, port);
+        session.setConfig("PreferredAuthentications",
+                "publickey,keyboard-interactive,password");
         session.setUserInfo(userInfo);
         log("Connecting to " + host + ":" + port);
         session.connect();