diff --git a/make/defs.mk b/make/defs.mk
index 4c0024e3..91b72696 100644
--- a/make/defs.mk
+++ b/make/defs.mk
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ LOCAL_DIST_VERSION     = $(shell echo $(LOCAL_VERSION) | sed -e "s/-dev//")
 LOCAL_DIST_WINVERSION  = $(shell echo $(LOCAL_WINVERSION) | sed -e "s/-dev//")
 MAJOR_MINOR_RELEASE    = $(shell echo $(DIST_VERSION) | cut -d- -f1)
 BUILD_NUMBER           = $(shell echo $(DIST_VERSION) | cut -d- -f2)
+CVS_RSH               ?= /usr/bin/ssh
 
 # ----- input dirs
 MOD_SCRIPT_DIR        ?= $(firstword $(wildcard $(MODDIR)/devutil/scripts $(MODDIR)/bin))
diff --git a/make/dist.mk b/make/dist.mk
index 08863513..b8be3252 100644
--- a/make/dist.mk
+++ b/make/dist.mk
@@ -71,18 +71,18 @@ build.dist: $(DIST_FILE)
 # -- install.dist
 install.dist: $(DIST_FILE) $(SSI_PREFIX)_$(PROJECT)_$(DIST_VERSION).html
 	@echo "-- installing distribution files to $(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR) as user $(TARGET_USER)"
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 		mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR); chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE) $(TARGET_DIR)"
-	/usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e /usr/bin/ssh $(DIST_FILE) $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	/usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e $(CVS_RSH) $(DIST_FILE) $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 		cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . -type d | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE); find . -type f | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_FILE_MODE)"
 	@echo "-- installing referrer include files to $(TARGET_HOST) as user $(TARGET_USER)"
 	for DIR in $(DOWNLOAD_REFERRER_DIRS) ; do \
 		echo "to $$DIR" ;\
-		ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+		$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 			mkdir -p $$DIR; chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE) $(TARGET_DIR)" ;\
-			 /usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e /usr/bin/ssh $(TMPHTML)/ssi_download_*.html $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$$DIR ;\
-		ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+			 /usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e $(CVS_RSH) $(TMPHTML)/ssi_download_*.html $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$$DIR ;\
+		$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 			cd $$DIR; find . -type d | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE); find . -type f | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_FILE_MODE)" ;\
 	done
 
diff --git a/make/linux-rpm-build.mk b/make/linux-rpm-build.mk
index c33a700a..bac20111 100644
--- a/make/linux-rpm-build.mk
+++ b/make/linux-rpm-build.mk
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ copy-devel.done: $(F_RPM_DEVEL)
 ping:
 	ping $(HOST)
 ssh:
-	ssh -l root $(HOST)
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root $(HOST)
 	
 # user targets
 unpack: unpack.done
@@ -193,13 +193,13 @@ copy-devel: copy-devel.done
 copy: copy-run copy-devel
 patch: patches.done
 shutdown:
-	ssh -l root $(HOST) "shutdown -h now"
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root $(HOST) "shutdown -h now"
 reboot:
-	ssh -l root $(HOST) "reboot"
+	 -l root $(HOST) "reboot"
 update-rpm: copy
-	ssh -l root $(HOST) rpm -U $(addprefix rpm/,$(F_RPMS))
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root $(HOST) rpm -U $(addprefix rpm/,$(F_RPMS))
 erase-rpm:
-	ssh -l root $(HOST) rpm -e $(KERNEL_BASE)-run $(KERNEL_BASE)-devel
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root $(HOST) rpm -e $(KERNEL_BASE)-run $(KERNEL_BASE)-devel
 dist: clean
 	cd ..;\
 	tar -czf kernel.tar.gz `find kernel -maxdepth 1 -type f | grep -ve "setup\|trash\|CVS"`
diff --git a/make/rpmdist.mk b/make/rpmdist.mk
index 376d952b..54019c71 100644
--- a/make/rpmdist.mk
+++ b/make/rpmdist.mk
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ upload-%.dist: %_$(PROJECT_CAPNAME)_RPM_RUN_I386
 	touch $@
 
 update-repo.dist: upload.dist
-	ssh -l root $(FTP_HOST) /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root $(FTP_HOST) /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
 	touch $@
 
 # ------ hash stuff
diff --git a/make/smart-selection.mk b/make/smart-selection.mk
index ad160375..b1ce2ed6 100644
--- a/make/smart-selection.mk
+++ b/make/smart-selection.mk
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ channels.done: $(MODDIR)/make/smart-selection.mk
 
 upload.done: selection.done
 	sh $(UPLOAD_SH) $(SELECTION) $(CHANNEL_LIST) $(UPLOAD_URL)
-	ssh -l root ftp.jannet.de /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root ftp.jannet.de /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
 	touch $@
 
 rpm-install-smart.done:
diff --git a/make/suse-selection.mk b/make/suse-selection.mk
index 9bd0014e..347fc35e 100644
--- a/make/suse-selection.mk
+++ b/make/suse-selection.mk
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ clean:
 
 upload.done: $(SELECTION)
 	sh $(UPLOAD_SH) $(SELECTION) $(UPLOAD_URL)
-	ssh -l root ftp.jannet.de /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l root ftp.jannet.de /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
 	touch $@
diff --git a/make/tex.mk b/make/tex.mk
index 650b913e..0040aba3 100644
--- a/make/tex.mk
+++ b/make/tex.mk
@@ -278,10 +278,10 @@ $(OUT).pdf.zip: $(OUTPUT).pdf
 
 html_install: $(HTMLDIR)
 	@echo "-- installing html to $(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR) as user $(TARGET_USER)"
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR); chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE) $(TARGET_DIR)"
-	/usr/bin/rsync -az --delete -v --links -e /usr/bin/ssh $(HTMLDIR)/* $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	/usr/bin/rsync -az --delete -v --links -e $(CVS_RSH) $(HTMLDIR)/* $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 	cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . -type d | xargs chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE); find . -type f | xargs chmod $(TARGET_FILE_MODE)"
 
 clean:
diff --git a/make/upload.mk b/make/upload.mk
index d94d16c9..eaa5b3c6 100644
--- a/make/upload.mk
+++ b/make/upload.mk
@@ -102,18 +102,18 @@ ssi_build.dist:
 # -- install.dist
 install.dist: $(PCKG_FILES) ssi_build.dist
 	@echo "-- installing distribution files to $(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR) as user $(TARGET_USER)"
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 		mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR); chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE) $(TARGET_DIR)"
-	/usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e /usr/bin/ssh $(PCKG_FILES) $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
-	ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+	/usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e $(CVS_RSH) $(PCKG_FILES) $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$(TARGET_DIR)
+	$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 		cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . -type d | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE); find . -type f | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_FILE_MODE)"
 	@echo "-- installing referrer include files to $(TARGET_HOST) as user $(TARGET_USER)"
 	for DIR in $(DOWNLOAD_REFERRER_DIRS) ; do \
 		echo "to $$DIR" ;\
-		ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+		$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 			mkdir -p $$DIR; chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE) $(TARGET_DIR)" ;\
-			 /usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e /usr/bin/ssh $(TMPHTML)/ssi_download_*.html $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$$DIR ;\
-		ssh -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
+			 /usr/bin/rsync -az -v --links -e $(CVS_RSH) $(TMPHTML)/ssi_download_*.html $(TARGET_USER)@$(TARGET_HOST):$$DIR ;\
+		$(CVS_RSH) -l $(TARGET_USER) $(TARGET_HOST) -C "\
 			cd $$DIR; find . -type d | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_DIR_MODE); find . -type f | xargs -r chmod $(TARGET_FILE_MODE)" ;\
 	done