diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/models.py b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/models.py
index 5ee8d411ab0c..6c9f01a115f0 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/models.py
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/models.py
@@ -122,9 +122,16 @@ class SSH:
     tty: bool
 
     @classmethod
-    def from_arg(cls, host: str | None, tty: bool | None) -> Self | None:
+    def from_arg(cls, host: str | None, tty: bool | None, tmp_dir: Path) -> Self | None:
         if host:
-            opts = os.getenv("SSH_OPTS", "").split()
+            opts = os.getenv("NIX_SSHOPTS", "").split() + [
+                "-o",
+                "ControlMaster=auto",
+                "-o",
+                f"ControlPath={tmp_dir / "ssh-%n"}",
+                "-o",
+                "ControlPersist=60",
+            ]
             return cls(host, opts, bool(tty))
         else:
             return None
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_models.py b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_models.py
index 63cddc479f43..d2c0442b4369 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_models.py
@@ -100,12 +100,34 @@ def test_profile_from_name(mock_mkdir: Any) -> None:
     mock_mkdir.assert_called_once()
 
 
-def test_ssh_from_name(monkeypatch: Any) -> None:
-    assert m.SSH.from_arg("user@localhost", None) == m.SSH("user@localhost", [], False)
-
-    monkeypatch.setenv("SSH_OPTS", "-f foo -b bar")
-    assert m.SSH.from_arg("user@localhost", True) == m.SSH(
+def test_ssh_from_name(monkeypatch: Any, tmpdir: Path) -> None:
+    assert m.SSH.from_arg("user@localhost", None, tmpdir) == m.SSH(
         "user@localhost",
-        ["-f", "foo", "-b", "bar"],
+        [
+            "-o",
+            "ControlMaster=auto",
+            "-o",
+            f"ControlPath={tmpdir / "ssh-%n"}",
+            "-o",
+            "ControlPersist=60",
+        ],
+        False,
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NIX_SSHOPTS", "-f foo -b bar", tmpdir)
+    assert m.SSH.from_arg("user@localhost", True, tmpdir) == m.SSH(
+        "user@localhost",
+        [
+            "-f",
+            "foo",
+            "-b",
+            "bar",
+            "-o",
+            "ControlMaster=auto",
+            "-o",
+            f"ControlPath={tmpdir / "ssh-%n"}",
+            "-o",
+            "ControlPersist=60",
+        ],
         True,
     )