diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
index 07aee818e..ee6f01a3e 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell.css
@@ -1988,7 +1988,7 @@ StButton.popup-menu-item:insensitive {
     min-width: 350px;
 }
 
-.login-dialog-prompt-fingerprint-message {
+.login-dialog-prompt-login-hint-message {
     font-size: 10.5pt;
 }
 
diff --git a/js/gdm/loginDialog.js b/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
index 5c60d24b2..9e103ec1c 100644
--- a/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
+++ b/js/gdm/loginDialog.js
@@ -696,8 +696,8 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
         this._userVerifier.connect('verification-failed', Lang.bind(this, this._onVerificationFailed));
         this._userVerifier.connect('reset', Lang.bind(this, this._onReset));
 
-        this._userVerifier.connect('show-fingerprint-prompt', Lang.bind(this, this._showFingerprintPrompt));
-        this._userVerifier.connect('hide-fingerprint-prompt', Lang.bind(this, this._hideFingerprintPrompt));
+        this._userVerifier.connect('show-login-hint', Lang.bind(this, this._showLoginHint));
+        this._userVerifier.connect('hide-login-hint', Lang.bind(this, this._hideLoginHint));
 
         this._settings = new Gio.Settings({ schema: GdmUtil.LOGIN_SCREEN_SCHEMA });
 
@@ -761,12 +761,9 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
                               x_fill: true,
                               y_fill: false,
                               x_align: St.Align.START });
-        // Translators: this message is shown below the password entry field
-        // to indicate the user can swipe their finger instead
-        this._promptFingerprintMessage = new St.Label({ text: _("(or swipe finger)"),
-                                                        style_class: 'login-dialog-prompt-fingerprint-message' });
-        this._promptFingerprintMessage.hide();
-        this._promptBox.add(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+        this._promptLoginHint = new St.Label({ style_class: 'login-dialog-prompt-login-hint-message' });
+        this._promptLoginHint.hide();
+        this._promptBox.add(this._promptLoginHint);
 
         this._sessionList = new SessionList();
         this._sessionList.connect('session-activated',
@@ -854,7 +851,7 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
 
                      function() {
                          this._sessionList.close();
-                         this._promptFingerprintMessage.hide();
+                         this._promptLoginHint.hide();
                          this._userList.actor.show();
                          this._userList.actor.opacity = 255;
                          return this._userList.showItems();
@@ -875,12 +872,14 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
         this._sessionList.setActiveSession(sessionId);
     },
 
-    _showFingerprintPrompt: function() {
-        GdmUtil.fadeInActor(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+    _showLoginHint: function(verifier, message) {
+        this._promptLoginHint.set_text(message)
+        GdmUtil.fadeInActor(this._promptLoginHint);
     },
 
-    _hideFingerprintPrompt: function() {
-        GdmUtil.fadeOutActor(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+    _hideLoginHint: function() {
+        GdmUtil.fadeOutActor(this._promptLoginHint);
+        this._promptLoginHint.set_text('');
     },
 
     cancel: function() {
@@ -899,8 +898,8 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
                      function() {
                          // Show it with 0 opacity so we preallocate space for it
                          // in the event we need to fade in the message
-                         this._promptFingerprintMessage.opacity = 0;
-                         this._promptFingerprintMessage.show();
+                         this._promptLoginHint.opacity = 0;
+                         this._promptLoginHint.show();
                      },
 
                      function() {
@@ -972,7 +971,7 @@ const LoginDialog = new Lang.Class({
                      },
 
                      function() {
-                         this._promptFingerprintMessage.hide();
+                         this._promptLoginHint.hide();
                          this._promptEntry.reactive = true;
                          this._promptEntry.set_text('');
                      }];
diff --git a/js/gdm/util.js b/js/gdm/util.js
index fb68ab099..3224539c7 100644
--- a/js/gdm/util.js
+++ b/js/gdm/util.js
@@ -211,7 +211,10 @@ const ShellUserVerifier = new Lang.Class({
         // as a cue to display our own message.
         if (serviceName == FINGERPRINT_SERVICE_NAME &&
             this._haveFingerprintReader) {
-            this.emit('show-fingerprint-prompt');
+
+            // Translators: this message is shown below the password entry field
+            // to indicate the user can swipe their finger instead
+            this.emit('show-login-hint', _("(or swipe finger)"));
         } else if (serviceName == PASSWORD_SERVICE_NAME) {
             Main.notifyError(info);
         }
@@ -261,7 +264,7 @@ const ShellUserVerifier = new Lang.Class({
         if (serviceName == PASSWORD_SERVICE_NAME) {
             this.emit('verification-failed');
         } else if (serviceName == FINGERPRINT_SERVICE_NAME) {
-            this.emit('hide-fingerprint-prompt');
+            this.emit('hide-login-hint');
         }
     },
 });
diff --git a/js/ui/unlockDialog.js b/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
index 86ce8ec52..fb510fcbc 100644
--- a/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
+++ b/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ const UnlockDialog = new Lang.Class({
         this._userVerifier.connect('verification-complete', Lang.bind(this, this._onVerificationComplete));
         this._userVerifier.connect('verification-failed', Lang.bind(this, this._onVerificationFailed));
 
-        this._userVerifier.connect('show-fingerprint-prompt', Lang.bind(this, this._showFingerprintPrompt));
-        this._userVerifier.connect('hide-fingerprint-prompt', Lang.bind(this, this._hideFingerprintPrompt));
+        this._userVerifier.connect('show-login-hint', Lang.bind(this, this._showLoginHint));
+        this._userVerifier.connect('hide-login-hint', Lang.bind(this, this._hideLoginHint));
 
         this._userWidget = new UserWidget(this._user);
         this.contentLayout.add_actor(this._userWidget.actor);
@@ -122,12 +122,9 @@ const UnlockDialog = new Lang.Class({
 
         this.contentLayout.add_actor(this._promptLayout);
 
-        // Translators: this message is shown below the password entry field
-        // to indicate the user can swipe their finger instead
-        this._promptFingerprintMessage = new St.Label({ text: _("(or swipe finger)"),
-                                                        style_class: 'login-dialog-prompt-fingerprint-message' });
-        this._promptFingerprintMessage.hide();
-        this.contentLayout.add_actor(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+        this._promptLoginHint = new St.Label({ style_class: 'login-dialog-prompt-login-hint' });
+        this._promptLoginHint.hide();
+        this.contentLayout.add_actor(this._promptLoginHint);
 
         let cancelButton = { label: _("Cancel"),
                              action: Lang.bind(this, this._escape),
@@ -183,12 +180,13 @@ const UnlockDialog = new Lang.Class({
         this._updateOkButton(true);
     },
 
-    _showFingerprintPrompt: function() {
-        GdmUtil.fadeInActor(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+    _showLoginHint: function(verifier, message) {
+        this._promptLoginHint.set_text(message)
+        GdmUtil.fadeInActor(this._promptLoginHint);
     },
 
-    _hideFingerprintPrompt: function() {
-        GdmUtil.fadeOutActor(this._promptFingerprintMessage);
+    _hideLoginHint: function() {
+        GdmUtil.fadeOutActor(this._promptLoginHint);
     },
 
     _doUnlock: function() {