diff --git a/src/server_config.c b/src/server_config.c
index f6165846..f15792a1 100644
--- a/src/server_config.c
+++ b/src/server_config.c
@@ -659,14 +659,14 @@ nc_server_config_del_local_address(struct nc_bind *bind)
 }
 
 static void
-nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pam_name(struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pam_name(struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     free(auth_client->pam_config_name);
     auth_client->pam_config_name = NULL;
 }
 
 static void
-nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pam_dir(struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pam_dir(struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     free(auth_client->pam_config_dir);
     auth_client->pam_config_dir = NULL;
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey_pub_base64(struct nc_public_key *pubkey)
 }
 
 static void
-nc_server_config_del_auth_client_password(struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_del_auth_client_password(struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     free(auth_client->password);
     auth_client->password = NULL;
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ nc_server_config_del_hostkey(struct nc_server_ssh_opts *opts, struct nc_hostkey
 }
 
 static void
-nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey(struct nc_client_auth *auth_client, struct nc_public_key *pubkey)
+nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey(struct nc_auth_client *auth_client, struct nc_public_key *pubkey)
 {
     nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey_name(pubkey);
     nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey_pub_base64(pubkey);
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ nc_server_config_del_auth_client_pubkey(struct nc_client_auth *auth_client, stru
 }
 
 static void
-nc_server_config_del_auth_client(struct nc_server_ssh_opts *opts, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_del_auth_client(struct nc_server_ssh_opts *opts, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     uint16_t i, pubkey_count;
 
@@ -2074,7 +2074,7 @@ nc_server_config_public_key_format(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 }
 
 static int
-nc_server_config_create_auth_key_public_key_list(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_create_auth_key_public_key_list(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "public-key"));
 
@@ -2131,7 +2131,7 @@ nc_server_config_public_key(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
     struct nc_hostkey *hostkey;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_public_key *pubkey;
     struct nc_server_tls_opts *opts;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
@@ -2140,6 +2140,7 @@ nc_server_config_public_key(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2443,7 +2444,7 @@ static int
 nc_server_config_user(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_server_ssh_opts *opts;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
@@ -2451,6 +2452,7 @@ nc_server_config_user(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2544,7 +2546,7 @@ nc_server_config_auth_timeout(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 }
 
 static int
-nc_server_config_ssh_replace_truststore_reference(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_client_auth *client_auth)
+nc_server_config_ssh_replace_truststore_reference(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_auth_client *client_auth)
 {
     uint16_t i;
     struct nc_truststore *ts = &server_opts.truststore;
@@ -2603,13 +2605,14 @@ nc_server_config_truststore_reference(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION
 {
     int ret = 0;
     struct nc_endpt *endpt;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "truststore-reference"));
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2675,7 +2678,7 @@ nc_server_config_truststore_reference(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION
 }
 
 static int
-nc_server_config_replace_password(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+nc_server_config_replace_password(const struct lyd_node *node, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     nc_server_config_del_auth_client_password(auth_client);
 
@@ -2693,13 +2696,14 @@ static int
 nc_server_config_password(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "password"));
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2729,13 +2733,14 @@ static int
 nc_server_config_pam_name(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "pam-config-file-name"));
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2769,13 +2774,14 @@ static int
 nc_server_config_pam_dir(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "pam-config-file-dir"));
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2809,13 +2815,14 @@ static int
 nc_server_config_none(const struct lyd_node *node, NC_OPERATION op)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client;
     struct nc_ch_client *ch_client;
 
     assert(!strcmp(LYD_NAME(node), "none"));
 
     /* LOCK */
     if (is_ch(node) && nc_server_config_get_ch_client_with_lock(node, &ch_client)) {
+        /* to avoid unlock on fail */
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/session_p.h b/src/session_p.h
index 34c98011..4a27a09b 100644
--- a/src/session_p.h
+++ b/src/session_p.h
@@ -160,10 +160,10 @@ struct nc_auth_state {
 /**
  * @brief A server's authorized client.
  */
-struct nc_client_auth {
+struct nc_auth_client {
     char *username;                         /**< Arbitrary username. */
 
-    NC_STORE_TYPE store;                  /**< Specifies how/where the client's public key is stored. */
+    NC_STORE_TYPE store;                    /**< Specifies how/where the client's public key is stored. */
     union {
         struct {
             struct nc_public_key *pubkeys;  /**< The client's public keys. */
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ struct nc_server_ssh_opts {
     struct nc_hostkey *hostkeys;            /**< Server's hostkeys. */
     uint16_t hostkey_count;                 /**< Number of server's hostkeys. */
 
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_clients;    /**< Server's authorized clients. */
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_clients;    /**< Server's authorized clients. */
     uint16_t client_count;                  /**< Number of server's authorized clients. */
 
     struct nc_endpt *endpt_client_ref;      /**< Reference to another endpoint (used for client authentication). */
diff --git a/src/session_server_ssh.c b/src/session_server_ssh.c
index 6bd1bfaf..e6aed4eb 100644
--- a/src/session_server_ssh.c
+++ b/src/session_server_ssh.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ auth_password_compare_pwd(const char *pass_hash, const char *pass_clear)
 }
 
 static int
-nc_sshcb_auth_password(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
+nc_sshcb_auth_password(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
 {
     int auth_ret = 1;
 
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ nc_server_ssh_create_ssh_pubkey(const char *base64, ssh_key *key)
  * @return Authorized key username, NULL if no match was found.
  */
 static int
-auth_pubkey_compare_key(ssh_key key, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
+auth_pubkey_compare_key(ssh_key key, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client)
 {
     uint16_t i, pubkey_count;
     int ret = 0;
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ auth_pubkey_compare_key(ssh_key key, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client)
 }
 
 static void
-nc_sshcb_auth_none(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
+nc_sshcb_auth_none(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
 {
     if (auth_client->supports_none && !auth_client->password && !auth_client->pubkey_count && !auth_client->pam_config_name) {
         /* only authenticate the client if he supports none and no other method */
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ nc_sshcb_auth_none(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_client_auth *auth_clien
 }
 
 static int
-nc_sshcb_auth_pubkey(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_client_auth *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
+nc_sshcb_auth_pubkey(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_auth_client *auth_client, ssh_message msg)
 {
     int signature_state, ret = 0;
 
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ nc_session_ssh_msg(struct nc_session *session, struct nc_server_ssh_opts *opts,
     const char *str_type, *str_subtype = NULL, *username;
     int subtype, type, libssh_auth_methods = 0, ret = 0;
     uint16_t i;
-    struct nc_client_auth *auth_client = NULL;
+    struct nc_auth_client *auth_client = NULL;
 
     type = ssh_message_type(msg);
     subtype = ssh_message_subtype(msg);