diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
index 76abe761..de6fbd5d 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class FileContext(abc.ABC):
         assert verbose_default is not None
 
     async def __aenter__(self):
+        await self.open()
         return self
 
     async def __aexit__(self, exc_type, exc, tb):
@@ -38,6 +39,18 @@ class FileContext(abc.ABC):
             return self.__root + path
         return self.__root + '/' + path
 
+    async def _open(self) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    async def open(self) -> None:
+        await self._open()
+
+    async def _close(self) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    async def close(self) -> None:
+        await self._close()
+
     @classmethod
     def schema_from_uri(cls, uri: str) -> str:
         tokens = re.split(r'://', uri)
@@ -225,12 +238,6 @@ class FileContext(abc.ABC):
     async def is_dir(self, path: str) -> bool:
         return self._is_dir(self._chroot(path))
 
-    async def _close(self) -> None:
-        pass
-
-    async def close(self) -> None:
-        await self._close()
-
     @classmethod
     def create(cls, uri: str, *args, **kwargs) -> Self:
         match cls.schema_from_uri(uri):
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
index 5faab1f2..b0159e3c 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
         self.__connect_timeout = connect_timeout
         self.__conn: asyncssh.SSHClientConnection|None = None
 
+    async def _open(self) -> None:
+        await super()._open()
+        await self._conn
+
     async def _close(self) -> None:
         if self.__conn is not None:
             try:
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/Paramiko.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/Paramiko.py
index 176ffb08..b60be30c 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/Paramiko.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/Paramiko.py
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ from ..SSHClient import SSHClient as Base
 
 from .util import join_cmd
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from typing import Any
+
 class Paramiko(Base):
 
     def __init__(self, uri, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
@@ -20,34 +23,40 @@ class Paramiko(Base):
             **kwargs
         )
         self.__timeout: float|None = None # Untested
-        self.___ssh: Any|None = None
-
-    def __ssh_connect(self):
-        ret = paramiko.SSHClient()
-        ret.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
-        try:
-            ret.connect(
-                hostname=self.hostname,
-                username=self.username,
-                allow_agent=True
-            )
-        except Exception as e:
-            log(ERR, f'Failed to connect to {self.hostname} ({str(e)})')
-            raise
-        s = ret.get_transport().open_session()
-        # set up the agent request handler to handle agent requests from the server
-        paramiko.agent.AgentRequestHandler(s)
-        return ret
+        self.___client: Any|None = None
 
     @property
-    def __ssh(self):
-        if self.___ssh is None:
-            self.___ssh = self.__ssh_connect()
-        return self.___ssh
+    def __client(self) -> Any:
+        if self.___client is None:
+            ret = paramiko.SSHClient()
+            ret.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
+            try:
+                ret.connect(
+                    hostname = self.hostname,
+                    username = self.username,
+                    allow_agent = True
+                )
+            except Exception as e:
+                log(ERR, f'Failed to connect to {self.hostname} ({str(e)})')
+                raise
+            s = ret.get_transport().open_session()
+            # set up the agent request handler to handle agent requests from the server
+            paramiko.agent.AgentRequestHandler(s)
+            self.___client = ret
+        return self.___client
 
     @property
-    def __scp(self):
-        return SCPClient(self.__ssh.get_transport())
+    def __scp(self) -> Any:
+        return SCPClient(self.__client.get_transport())
+
+    async def _open(self) -> None:
+        await super()._open()
+        self.__client
+
+    async def _close(self) -> None:
+        if self.___client is not None:
+            self.___client.close()
+            self.___client = None
 
     async def _run_ssh(
         self,
@@ -63,7 +72,7 @@ class Paramiko(Base):
             kwargs: [str, Any] = {}
             if mod_env is not None:
                 kwargs['environment'] = mod_env
-            stdin, stdout, stderr = self.__ssh.exec_command(
+            stdin, stdout, stderr = self.__client.exec_command(
                 join_cmd(cmd),
                 timeout=self.__timeout,
                 **kwargs,
@@ -75,5 +84,3 @@ class Paramiko(Base):
             stdin.write(cmd_input)
         exit_status = stdout.channel.recv_exit_status()
         return Result(stdout.read(), stderr.read(), exit_status)
-
-