diff --git a/core/modules/user/css/user.module.css b/core/modules/user/css/user.module.css
index 6d2c51e..51332d1 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/css/user.module.css
+++ b/core/modules/user/css/user.module.css
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 .password-strength {
   width: 13em;
   float: right;  /* LTR */
+  margin-top: -0.3em;
 }
 [dir="rtl"] .password-strength {
   float: left;
@@ -55,9 +56,17 @@ input.password-field {
 }
 div.password-confirm {
   float: right;  /* LTR */
+  margin-top: 1.1em;
   visibility: hidden;
   width: 13em;
 }
+.password-confirm-text {
+  float: right; /* LTR */
+  font-weight: bold;
+}
+[dir="rtl"] .password-confirm-text {
+  float: left;
+}
 [dir="rtl"] input.password-confirm,
 [dir="rtl"] input.password-field {
   float: right;
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.js b/core/modules/user/user.js
index 7b1ccfa..08d8d00 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.js
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.js
@@ -13,32 +13,37 @@ Drupal.behaviors.password = {
       var passwordInput = $(this);
       var innerWrapper = $(this).parent();
       var outerWrapper = $(this).parent().parent();
+      var confirmInput = outerWrapper.find('input.password-confirm');
 
       // Add identifying class to password element parent.
       innerWrapper.addClass('password-parent');
 
-      // Add the password confirmation layer.
-      outerWrapper.find('input.password-confirm').parent().append('<div class="password-confirm">' + translate.confirmTitle + ' <span></span></div>').addClass('confirm-parent');
-      var confirmInput = outerWrapper.find('input.password-confirm');
-      var confirmResult = outerWrapper.find('div.password-confirm');
-      var confirmChild = confirmResult.find('span');
-
       // If the password strength indicator is enabled, add its markup.
       if (settings.password.showStrengthIndicator) {
-        var passwordMeter = '<div class="password-strength"><div class="password-strength-text" aria-live="assertive"></div><div class="password-strength-title">' + translate.strengthTitle + '</div><div class="password-indicator"><div class="indicator"></div></div></div>';
+        var passwordMeter = '<div class="password-strength"><div class="password-strength-title">' + translate.strengthTitle + '</div><div class="password-strength-text"></div><div class="password-indicator"><div class="indicator"></div></div></div>';
         confirmInput.parent().after('<div class="password-suggestions description"></div>');
         innerWrapper.append(passwordMeter);
         var passwordDescription = outerWrapper.find('div.password-suggestions').hide();
       }
 
+      // Add the password confirmation layer.
+      var passwordConfirm = '<div class="password-confirm"><div class="password-confirm-title">' + translate.confirmTitle + '<span class="password-confirm-text"></span></div></div>';
+      outerWrapper.find('input.password-confirm').parent().prepend(passwordConfirm).addClass('confirm-parent');
+      var confirmResult = outerWrapper.find('div.password-confirm');
+      var confirmChild = confirmResult.find('span');
+
       // Check that password and confirmation inputs match.
       var passwordCheckMatch = function (confirmInputVal) {
         var success = passwordInput.val() === confirmInputVal;
         var confirmClass = success ? 'ok' : 'error';
 
         // Fill in the success message and set the class accordingly.
-        confirmChild.html(translate['confirm' + (success ? 'Success' : 'Failure')])
-          .removeClass('ok error').addClass(confirmClass);
+        if (confirmChild.html() != translate['confirm' + (success ? 'Success' : 'Failure')]) {
+          confirmChild.html(translate['confirm' + (success ? 'Success' : 'Failure')])
+            .removeClass('ok error').addClass(confirmClass);
+
+          Drupal.announce(Drupal.t(success ? 'Passwords match' : 'Passwords do not match'), 'assertive');
+        }
       };
 
       // Check the password strength.
@@ -61,6 +66,9 @@ Drupal.behaviors.password = {
             .css('background-color', result.indicatorColor);
 
           // Update the strength indication text.
+          if (innerWrapper.find('.password-strength-text').html() != result.indicatorText) {
+            Drupal.announce(Drupal.t(result.indicatorText + " password"), 'assertive');
+          }
           innerWrapper.find('.password-strength-text').html(result.indicatorText);
         }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.module b/core/modules/user/user.module
index 88862d5..cad2f70 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.module
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.module
@@ -1892,6 +1892,7 @@ function user_library_info() {
       array('system', 'jquery'),
       array('system', 'drupal'),
       array('system', 'jquery.once'),
+      array('system', 'drupal.announce'),
     ),
   );