--- cvs-1.12.13.orig/debian/patches/65_login_cvspass_message
+++ cvs-1.12.13/debian/patches/65_login_cvspass_message
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Print a clearer message if ~/.cvspass does not exist when cvs login is
+#  called. Closes: #168163.
+#
+# Patch by Steve McIntyre <steve@einval.com>
+diff -ruN cvs-1.12.13-old/src/login.c cvs-1.12.13/src/login.c
+--- cvs-1.12.13-old/src/login.c	2005-05-14 05:47:28.000000000 +0800
++++ cvs-1.12.13/src/login.c	2006-02-26 21:31:17.000000000 +0800
+@@ -309,7 +309,10 @@
+     fp = CVS_FOPEN (passfile, "r");
+     if (fp == NULL)
+     {
+-	error (0, errno, "warning: failed to open %s for reading", passfile);
++    if (errno == ENOENT)
++        error (0, 0, "CVS password file %s does not exist - creating a new file", passfile);
++    else
++        error (0, errno, "warning: failed to open %s for reading", passfile);
+ 	goto process;
+     }
+