diff --git a/greeter/greeterapp.cpp b/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
--- a/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
+++ b/greeter/greeterapp.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 #include <QKeyEvent>
 #include <qscreen.h>
 #include <QThread>
+#include <QMimeData>
 
 #include <QQuickView>
 #include <QQuickItem>
@@ -401,8 +402,18 @@
     showProperty.write(true);
     // random state update, actually rather required on init only
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "getFocus", Qt::QueuedConnection);
-    QGuiApplication::clipboard()->clear();
-    QGuiApplication::clipboard()->clear(QClipboard::Selection);
+
+    auto mime1 = new QMimeData;
+    //this mime is chosen for two reasons.
+    //1) we need some non-empty non-text mimeData to replace the clipboard so we don't leak real data to a user pasting into the text field
+    //2) this specific hint means that klipper won't save this
+    mime1->setData(QStringLiteral("x-kde-passwordManagerHint"), QByteArrayLiteral("secret"));
+    //ownership is transferred
+    QGuiApplication::clipboard()->setMimeData(mime1, QClipboard::Clipboard);
+
+    auto mime2 = new QMimeData;
+    mime2->setData(QStringLiteral("x-kde-passwordManagerHint"), QByteArrayLiteral("secret"));
+    QGuiApplication::clipboard()->setMimeData(mime2, QClipboard::Selection);
 }
 
 void UnlockApp::getFocus()