diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/paramiko_ssh-improve-error-message.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/paramiko_ssh-improve-error-message.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dea10ccd972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/paramiko_ssh-improve-error-message.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - paramiko_ssh - improve authentication error message so it is less confusing
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/paramiko_ssh.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/paramiko_ssh.py
index 4f8b903cb38..ce47b74bbc1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/paramiko_ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/paramiko_ssh.py
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class Connection(ConnectionBase):
         except paramiko.ssh_exception.BadHostKeyException as e:
             raise AnsibleConnectionFailure('host key mismatch for %s' % e.hostname)
         except paramiko.ssh_exception.AuthenticationException as e:
-            msg = 'Invalid/incorrect username/password. {0}'.format(to_text(e))
+            msg = 'Failed to authenticate: {0}'.format(to_text(e))
             raise AnsibleAuthenticationFailure(msg)
         except Exception as e:
             msg = to_text(e)