diff --git a/src/components/structures/login/Login.js b/src/components/structures/login/Login.js
index bbfff3712e..27c0c200be 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/login/Login.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/login/Login.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             const usingEmail = username.indexOf("@") > 0;
             if (error.httpStatus == 400 && usingEmail) {
                 errorText = _t('This Home Server does not support login using email address.');
-            } else if (error.httpStatus == 401 || error.httpStatus === 403) {
+            } else if (error.httpStatus === 401 || error.httpStatus === 403) {
                 errorText = _t('Incorrect username and/or password.');
             } else {
                 // other errors, not specific to doing a password login
@@ -102,8 +102,11 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
             this.setState({
                 errorText: errorText,
-                // https://matrix.org/jira/browse/SYN-744
-                loginIncorrect: error.httpStatus == 401 || error.httpStatus == 403
+                // 401 would be the sensible status code for 'incorrect password'
+                // but the login API gives a 403 https://matrix.org/jira/browse/SYN-744
+                // mentions this (although the bug is for UI auth which is not this)
+                // We treat both as an incorrect password
+                loginIncorrect: error.httpStatus === 401 || error.httpStatus == 403,
             });
         }).finally(() => {
             this.setState({