diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
index 01a75c1a..6aae15dd 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/ec/ssh/AsyncSSH.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
         self.known_hosts = known_hosts
         self.term_type = term_type or os.environ.get('TERM', 'xterm')
         self.connect_timeout = connect_timeout
+        self.__conn: asyncssh.SSHClientConnection|None = None
 
     def _connect_kwargs(self, hide_secrets: bool=False) -> dict:
 
@@ -90,6 +91,29 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
 
         return (cols, rows, xpixel, ypixel)
 
+    @property
+    async def _conn(self) -> asyncssh.SSHClientConnection:
+        if self.__conn is None:
+            try:
+                self.__conn = await asyncssh.connect(**self._connect_kwargs())
+            except Exception as e:
+                msg = f'-------------------- Failed to connect ({str(e)})'
+                log(ERR, ',', msg)
+                for key, val in self._connect_kwargs(hide_secrets=True).items():
+                    log(ERR, f'| {key:<20} = {val}')
+                log(ERR, '`', msg)
+                raise
+        return self.__conn
+
+    async def _close(self) -> None:
+        if self.__conn is not None:
+            try:
+                self.__conn.close()
+                await self.__conn.wait_closed()
+            except Exception as e:
+                log(DEBUG, f'Failed to close connection ({str(e)}, ignored)')
+            self.__conn = None
+
     async def _read_stream(
         self,
         stream,
@@ -120,13 +144,13 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
 
     async def _run_interactive_on_conn(
         self,
-        conn: asyncssh.SSHClientConnection,
         cmd: list[str],
         wd: str | None,
         cmd_input: bytes | None,
         mod_env: dict[str, str] | None,
     ) -> Result:
 
+        conn = await self._conn
         command = self._build_remote_command(cmd, wd)
         stdout_parts: list[bytes] = []
 
@@ -278,7 +302,6 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
 
     async def _run_captured_pty_on_conn(
         self,
-        conn: asyncssh.SSHClientConnection,
         cmd: list[str],
         wd: str | None,
         verbose: bool,
@@ -286,6 +309,8 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
         mod_env: dict[str, str] | None,
         log_prefix: str,
     ) -> Result:
+
+        conn = await self._conn
         command = self._build_remote_command(cmd, wd)
 
         stdout_parts: list[bytes] = []
@@ -330,7 +355,6 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
 
     async def _run_on_conn(
         self,
-        conn: asyncssh.SSHClientConnection,
         cmd: list[str],
         wd: str | None,
         verbose: bool,
@@ -342,7 +366,6 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
         if interactive:
             if self._has_local_tty():
                 return await self._run_interactive_on_conn(
-                    conn = conn,
                     cmd = cmd,
                     wd = wd,
                     cmd_input = cmd_input,
@@ -350,7 +373,6 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
                 )
 
             return await self._run_captured_pty_on_conn(
-                conn = conn,
                 cmd = cmd,
                 wd = wd,
                 verbose = verbose,
@@ -369,6 +391,8 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
 
         stdin_mode = asyncssh.PIPE if cmd_input is not None else asyncssh.DEVNULL
 
+        conn = await self._conn
+
         proc = await conn.create_process(
             command = command,
             env = mod_env,
@@ -430,21 +454,15 @@ class AsyncSSH(Base):
         log_prefix: str,
     ) -> Result:
         try:
-            async with asyncssh.connect(**self._connect_kwargs()) as conn:
-                return await self._run_on_conn(
-                    conn = conn,
-                    cmd = cmd,
-                    wd = wd,
-                    verbose = verbose,
-                    cmd_input = cmd_input,
-                    mod_env = mod_env,
-                    interactive = interactive,
-                    log_prefix = log_prefix,
-                )
+            return await self._run_on_conn(
+                cmd = cmd,
+                wd = wd,
+                verbose = verbose,
+                cmd_input = cmd_input,
+                mod_env = mod_env,
+                interactive = interactive,
+                log_prefix = log_prefix,
+            )
         except Exception as e:
-            msg = f'-------------------- Failed to run command {" ".join(cmd)} ({e})'
-            log(ERR, ',', msg)
-            for key, val in self._connect_kwargs(hide_secrets=True).items():
-                log(ERR, f'| {key:<20} = {val}')
-            log(ERR, '`', msg)
+            log(ERR, f'Failed to run command {" ".join(cmd)} ({e})'
             raise