diff --git a/src/Composer/Repository/Vcs/SvnDriver.php b/src/Composer/Repository/Vcs/SvnDriver.php
index f2d6a4754..ffc7183f7 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Repository/Vcs/SvnDriver.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Repository/Vcs/SvnDriver.php
@@ -301,12 +301,20 @@ class SvnDriver extends VcsDriver
             return true;
         }
 
+        // Subversion client 1.7 and older
         if (false !== stripos($processExecutor->getErrorOutput(), 'authorization failed:')) {
             // This is likely a remote Subversion repository that requires
             // authentication. We will handle actual authentication later.
             return true;
         }
 
+        // Subversion client 1.8 and newer
+        if (false !== stripos($processExecutor->getErrorOutput(), 'Authentication failed')) {
+            // This is likely a remote Subversion or newer repository that requires
+            // authentication. We will handle actual authentication later.
+            return true;
+        }
+
         return false;
     }