diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
index 43cd1b1b6348ac..ea0857d4061c93 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ def exec_command(self, cmd, tmp_path, sudo_user,sudoable=False, executable='/bin
 
         if C.HOST_KEY_CHECKING:
             if ssh_cmd[0] == "sshpass" and p.returncode == 6:
-                raise errors.AnsibleError('sshpass has exited with error 6. This is typically caused by combining host_key_checking=True and --ask-pass without first adding the hostkey to known_hosts.')
+                raise errors.AnsibleError('Using a SSH password instead of a key is not possible because Host Key checking is enabled and sshpass does not support this.  Please add this host\'s fingerprint to your known_hosts file to manage this host.')
 
         controlpersisterror = stderr.find('Bad configuration option: ControlPersist') != -1 or stderr.find('unknown configuration option: ControlPersist') != -1
         if p.returncode != 0 and controlpersisterror:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh_alt.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh_alt.py
index 7608c0f91bebc1..d987d609a88163 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh_alt.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh_alt.py
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ def exec_command(self, cmd, tmp_path, sudo_user,sudoable=False, executable='/bin
 
         if C.HOST_KEY_CHECKING:
             if ssh_cmd[0] == "sshpass" and p.returncode == 6:
-                raise errors.AnsibleError('sshpass has exited with error 6. This is typically caused by combining host_key_checking=True and --ask-pass without first adding the hostkey to known_hosts.')
+                raise errors.AnsibleError('Using a SSH password instead of a key is not possible because Host Key checking is enabled and sshpass does not support this.  Please add this host\'s fingerprint to your known_hosts file to manage this host.')
 
         if p.returncode != 0 and controlpersisterror:
             raise errors.AnsibleError('using -c ssh on certain older ssh versions may not support ControlPersist, set ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS="" (or ansible_ssh_args in the config file) before running again')