diff --git a/tdeio/misc/tdewalletd/tdewalletd.cpp b/tdeio/misc/tdewalletd/tdewalletd.cpp
index 99288bc8c..0aaec0f9a 100644
--- a/tdeio/misc/tdewalletd/tdewalletd.cpp
+++ b/tdeio/misc/tdewalletd/tdewalletd.cpp
@@ -479,8 +479,13 @@ int TDEWalletD::internalOpen(const TQCString& appid, const TQString& wallet, boo
 				p = kpd->password().utf8();
 				int rc = b->open(TQByteArray().duplicate(p, p.length()));
 				if (!b->isOpen()) {
-					kpd->setPrompt(i18n("<qt>Error opening the wallet '<b>%1</b>'. Please try again.<br>(Error code %2: %3)").arg(TQStyleSheet::escape(wallet)).arg(rc).arg(TDEWallet::Backend::openRCToString(rc)));
-					kpd->clearPassword();
+					// For compatibility with TDE << T14.0.6, try ascii() as fallback option in case of errors
+					p = kpd->password().ascii();
+					rc = b->open(TQByteArray().duplicate(p, p.length()));
+					if (!b->isOpen()) {
+						kpd->setPrompt(i18n("<qt>Error opening the wallet '<b>%1</b>'. Please try again.<br>(Error code %2: %3)").arg(TQStyleSheet::escape(wallet)).arg(rc).arg(TDEWallet::Backend::openRCToString(rc)));
+						kpd->clearPassword();
+					}
 				}
 			} else {
 				break;