diff --git a/web_infrastructure/htpasswd b/web_infrastructure/htpasswd
index 1fe2b6e22c7..62822c0a6ea 100644
--- a/web_infrastructure/htpasswd
+++ b/web_infrastructure/htpasswd
@@ -92,17 +92,40 @@ def present(dest, username, password, create, check_mode):
         if check_mode:
             return ("Create %s" % dest, True)
         create_missing_directories(dest)
-        ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=True)
-        ht.set_password(username, password)
+        try:
+            ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=True)
+        except:
+            # library version doesn't take 'new', deal with it.
+            fh = open(dest, 'w')
+            fh.write('')
+            fh.close()
+            ht = HtpasswdFile(dest)
+        if getattr(ht, 'set_password', None):
+            ht.set_password(username, password)
+        else:
+            ht.update(username, password)
         ht.save()
         return ("Created %s and added %s" % (dest, username), True)
     else:
-        ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=False)
-        if ht.check_password(username, password):
+        try:
+            ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=False)
+        except:
+            ht = HtpasswdFile(dest)
+ 
+        found = None
+        if getattr(ht, 'check_password', None):
+            found = ht.check_password(username, password)
+        else:
+            found = ht.verify(username, password)
+
+        if found:
             return ("%s already present" % username, False)
         else:
             if not check_mode:
-                ht.set_password(username, password)
+                if getattr(ht, 'set_password', None):
+                    ht.set_password(username, password)
+                else:
+                    ht.update(username, password)
                 ht.save()
             return ("Add/update %s" % username, True)
 
@@ -114,7 +137,11 @@ def absent(dest, username, check_mode):
     if not os.path.exists(dest):
         raise ValueError("%s does not exists" % dest)
 
-    ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=False)
+    try:
+        ht = HtpasswdFile(dest, new=False)
+    except:
+        ht = HtpasswdFile(dest)
+
     if username not in ht.users():
         return ("%s not present" % username, False)
     else: