diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/common b/tests/qemu-iotests/common
index b3aad89e2c..6826ea72fe 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/common
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/common
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ check options
     -rbd                test rbd
     -sheepdog           test sheepdog
     -nbd                test nbd
+    -ssh                test ssh
     -xdiff		graphical mode diff
     -nocache		use O_DIRECT on backing file
     -misalign		misalign memory allocations
@@ -206,6 +207,10 @@ testlist options
 	    IMGPROTO=nbd
 	    xpand=false
 	    ;;
+        -ssh)
+            IMGPROTO=ssh
+            xpand=false
+            ;;
 	-nocache)
 	    QEMU_IO_OPTIONS="$QEMU_IO_OPTIONS --nocache"
 	    xpand=false
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/common.rc b/tests/qemu-iotests/common.rc
index e522d617aa..a536bf70a7 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/common.rc
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/common.rc
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ if [ "$IMGPROTO" = "file" ]; then
 elif [ "$IMGPROTO" = "nbd" ]; then
     TEST_IMG_FILE=$TEST_DIR/t.$IMGFMT
     TEST_IMG="nbd:127.0.0.1:10810"
+elif [ "$IMGPROTO" = "ssh" ]; then
+    TEST_IMG_FILE=$TEST_DIR/t.$IMGFMT
+    TEST_IMG="ssh://127.0.0.1$TEST_IMG_FILE"
 else
     TEST_IMG=$IMGPROTO:$TEST_DIR/t.$IMGFMT
 fi