diff --git a/bin/pt-stalk b/bin/pt-stalk
index cc2df893..d04c888d 100755
--- a/bin/pt-stalk
+++ b/bin/pt-stalk
@@ -1447,9 +1447,19 @@ if    [ "${0##*/}" = "$TOOL" ] \
       exit 0
    fi
 
+   # if ASK-PASS , request password on terminal without echoing. This will override --password
+   if [ -n "$OPT_ASK_PASS" ]; then 
+      stty_orig=`stty -g`           # save original terminal setting.
+      echo -n "enter password: ";
+      stty -echo                    # turn-off echoing.
+      read OPT_PASSWORD             # read the password
+      stty $stty_orig               # restore terminal setting.
+   fi
+
    MYSQL_ARGS="$(mysql_options)"
    EXT_ARGV="$(arrange_mysql_options "$EXT_ARGV $MYSQL_ARGS")"
 
+
    # Check that mysql and mysqladmin are in PATH.  If not, we're
    # already dead in the water, so don't bother with cmd line opts,
    # just error and exit.
@@ -1650,6 +1660,12 @@ fail to start.
 
 =over
 
+=item --ask-pass
+
+This option will prompt user for MySQL password once. Password is not echoed
+on terminal.
+This options overrides C<--password>
+
 =item --collect
 
 default: yes; negatable: yes
diff --git a/lib/Sandbox.pm b/lib/Sandbox.pm
index 3ee79ff4..6a21e7fa 100644
--- a/lib/Sandbox.pm
+++ b/lib/Sandbox.pm
@@ -374,6 +374,10 @@ sub verify_test_data {
            . join(", ", map { "mysql.$_" } @tables_in_mysql)
            . ", "
            . join(", ", map { "sakila.$_" } @tables_in_sakila);
+
+   # remove leading "," if any
+   $sql =~ s/CHECKSUM TABLES\s+,/CHECKSUM TABLES /;
+
    my @checksums = @{$dbh->selectall_arrayref($sql, {Slice => {} })};
 
    # Diff the two sets of checksums: host to master (ref).