diff --git a/tiny-ec2-bootstrap b/tiny-ec2-bootstrap
index 3108283..0de02c7 100644
--- a/tiny-ec2-bootstrap
+++ b/tiny-ec2-bootstrap
@@ -85,8 +85,12 @@ _resize_root_partition() {
 	resize2fs "$mountpoint"
 }
 
+_lock_root_user() {
+	passwd -l root
+}
+
 _disable_password() {
-	passwd -l "$1"
+	echo "$1:*" | chpasswd -e
 }
 
 start() {
@@ -95,7 +99,7 @@ start() {
 
 	[ -d "/var/lib/cloud" ] || mkdir -p /var/lib/cloud
 
-	ebegin "Disabling root password"; _disable_password root; eend $?
+	ebegin "Locking root account"; _lock_root_account; eend $?
 	ebegin "Disabling $EC2_USER password"; _disable_password "$EC2_USER"; eend $?
 	ebegin "Expanding root partition"; _resize_root_partition; eend $?
 	ebegin "Setting ec2 hostname"; _update_hostname; eend $?