diff --git a/lib/rush/config.rb b/lib/rush/config.rb
index 31da070..765e6a5 100644
--- a/lib/rush/config.rb
+++ b/lib/rush/config.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # The config class accesses files in ~/.rush to load and save user preferences.
 class Rush::Config
 	DefaultPort = 7770
+  DefaultSshPort = 22
 
 	attr_reader :dir
 
diff --git a/lib/rush/ssh_tunnel.rb b/lib/rush/ssh_tunnel.rb
index 5211bf6..280630d 100644
--- a/lib/rush/ssh_tunnel.rb
+++ b/lib/rush/ssh_tunnel.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # HTTP commands can be sent by Rush::Connection::Remote.
 class Rush::SshTunnel
 	def initialize(real_host)
-		@real_host = real_host
+    @real_host, @real_port = real_host.split(':',2)
+    @real_port = @real_port || Rush::Config::DefaultSshPort
 	end
 
 	def host
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@ def port
 		@port
 	end
 
+  def real_port
+    @real_port
+  end
+
 	def ensure_tunnel(options={})
 		return if @port and tunnel_alive?
 
@@ -81,7 +86,7 @@ class SshFailed < Exception; end
 	class NoPortSelectedYet < Exception; end
 
 	def ssh(command)
-		raise SshFailed unless system("ssh #{@real_host} '#{command}'")
+		raise SshFailed unless system("ssh -p #{real_port} #{@real_host} '#{command}'")
 	end
 
 	def make_ssh_tunnel(options={})
@@ -91,7 +96,7 @@ def make_ssh_tunnel(options={})
 	def ssh_tunnel_command_without_stall
 		options = tunnel_options
 		raise NoPortSelectedYet unless options[:local_port]
-		"ssh -f -L #{options[:local_port]}:127.0.0.1:#{options[:remote_port]} #{options[:ssh_host]}"
+		"ssh -p #{real_port} -f -L #{options[:local_port]}:127.0.0.1:#{options[:remote_port]} #{options[:ssh_host]}"
 	end
 
 	def ssh_stall_command(options={})
diff --git a/spec/ssh_tunnel_spec.rb b/spec/ssh_tunnel_spec.rb
index ec54252..4f2a7c7 100644
--- a/spec/ssh_tunnel_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ssh_tunnel_spec.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 			:remote_port => 456,
 			:ssh_host => 'example.com'
 		)
-		@tunnel.ssh_tunnel_command_without_stall.should == "ssh -f -L 123:127.0.0.1:456 example.com"
+		@tunnel.ssh_tunnel_command_without_stall.should == "ssh -p 22 -f -L 123:127.0.0.1:456 example.com"
 	end
 
 	it "combines the tunnel command without stall and the stall command into the final command" do
@@ -119,4 +119,29 @@
 		command.should match(/grep/)
 		command.should match(/ssh command/)
 	end
+
+  describe "connecting to ssh service on alternative port" do
+
+    before do
+      @tunnel_with_ssh_port = Rush::SshTunnel.new('spec.example.com:222')
+      @tunnel_with_ssh_port.stub!(:config).and_return(mock_config_start)
+      @tunnel_with_ssh_port.stub!(:display)
+    end
+
+    it "recognizes alternative ssh port given in the real_host string" do
+      @tunnel_with_ssh_port.real_port.should == "222"
+    end
+
+    it "sets port for ssh commands" do
+      @tunnel_with_ssh_port.should_receive(:tunnel_options).at_least(:once).and_return(
+        :local_port => 123,
+        :remote_port => 456,
+        :ssh_host => 'example.com'
+      )
+      command = @tunnel_with_ssh_port.ssh_tunnel_command_without_stall
+      command.should match(/-p 222/)
+    end
+
+  end
+
 end