diff --git a/client/mysqladmin.cc b/client/mysqladmin.cc
index 0b31ca3a5ce..05abec9fe61 100644
--- a/client/mysqladmin.cc
+++ b/client/mysqladmin.cc
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[])
 	if (error > 0)
 	  break;
 
+        error= -error; /* don't exit with negative error codes */
         /*
           Command was well-formed, but failed on the server. Might succeed
           on retry (if conditions on server change etc.), but needs --force
@@ -1204,24 +1205,8 @@ static int execute_commands(MYSQL *mysql,int argc, char **argv)
       else
       if (mysql_query(mysql,buff))
       {
-	if (mysql_errno(mysql)!=1290)
-	{
-	  my_printf_error(0,"unable to change password; error: '%s'",
-			  error_flags, mysql_error(mysql));
-	}
-	else
-	{
-	  /*
-	    We don't try to execute 'update mysql.user set..'
-	    because we can't perfectly find out the host
-	   */
-	  my_printf_error(0,"\n"
-			  "You cannot use 'password' command as mysqld runs\n"
-			  " with grant tables disabled (was started with"
-			  " --skip-grant-tables).\n"
-			  "Use: \"mysqladmin flush-privileges password '*'\""
-			  " instead", error_flags);
-	}
+        my_printf_error(0,"unable to change password; error: '%s'",
+                        error_flags, mysql_error(mysql));
         ret = -1;
       }
 password_done:
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/plugins/r/simple_password_check.result b/mysql-test/suite/plugins/r/simple_password_check.result
index c4f8d15fc51..3790bb8f8d8 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/plugins/r/simple_password_check.result
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/plugins/r/simple_password_check.result
@@ -250,3 +250,13 @@ Grants for foo1@localhost
 GRANT USAGE ON *.* TO `foo1`@`localhost` IDENTIFIED BY PASSWORD '*1D62FA326F98258451ED56A404F15452423DCC1D'
 drop user foo1@localhost;
 uninstall plugin simple_password_check;
+#
+# MDEV-22418 mysqladmin wrong error with simple_password_check
+#
+install soname "simple_password_check";
+MARIADB-ADMIN: unable to change password; error: 'The MariaDB server is running with the --strict-password-validation option so it cannot execute this statement'
+# All done
+uninstall plugin simple_password_check;
+#
+# End of 10.4 tests
+#
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/plugins/t/simple_password_check.test b/mysql-test/suite/plugins/t/simple_password_check.test
index 3ce2d86cd68..442585e89d4 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/plugins/t/simple_password_check.test
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/plugins/t/simple_password_check.test
@@ -150,3 +150,21 @@ flush privileges;
 show grants for foo1@localhost;
 drop user foo1@localhost;
 uninstall plugin simple_password_check;
+
+
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-22418 mysqladmin wrong error with simple_password_check
+--echo #
+
+install soname "simple_password_check";
+
+--replace_regex /.*[\/\\]// /(mysqladmin|mariadb-admin)(\.exe)?/MARIADB-ADMIN/
+--error 1
+--exec $MYSQLADMIN -uroot password foo 2>&1
+
+--echo # All done
+uninstall plugin simple_password_check;
+
+--echo #
+--echo # End of 10.4 tests
+--echo #