diff --git a/make/projects-dir.mk b/make/projects-dir.mk
index 291c35f7..f898fb61 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir.mk
@@ -88,13 +88,18 @@ else
   export GIT_SSH            := $(SSH_WRAPPER_SH)
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(filter pkg-%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
-  JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS     += -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=/tmp/%r@jw-pkg:%h:%p -o ControlPersist=3m
-  ifneq ($(JANWARE_USER),)
-    JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS   += -l $(JANWARE_USER)
-  endif
-  export JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS
+JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS       += \
+		-o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+		-o BatchMode=yes \
+		-o ServerAliveInterval=15 \
+		-o ServerAliveCountMax=3 \
+		-o ControlMaster=auto \
+		-o ControlPath=/tmp/%r@jw-pkg:%h:%p \
+		-o ControlPersist=3m
+ifneq ($(JANWARE_USER),)
+  JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS   += -l $(JANWARE_USER)
 endif
+export JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS
 
 ifneq ($(EXCLUDE_FROM_BUILD),)
   JW_PKG_PY_EXTRA_BUILD_OPTS += --exclude "$(EXCLUDE_FROM_BUILD)"
@@ -138,7 +143,7 @@ endif
 PURGE_SH                     = /bin/bash $(firstword $(wildcard $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/purge-stale-projects.sh $(JW_PKG_BINDIR)/purge-stale-projects.sh) purge-not-found)
 CREATE_PROJECT_SH           ?= /bin/bash $(firstword $(wildcard $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/jw-pkg-create-project.sh $(JW_PKG_BINDIR)/jw-pkg-create-project.sh) jw-pkg-create-project-not-found)
 LIST_VCS_FILES_SH            = /bin/bash $(firstword $(wildcard $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/scm.sh $(JW_PKG_BINDIR)/scm.sh) scm-sh-not-found) ls-files
-GIT_SRV_ADMIN_SH             = JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS="$(JW_PKG_SSH_EXTRA_OPTS)" $(GIT_SSH) $(JANWARE_USER)@git.janware.com $(JW_PKG_REMOTE_BINDIR)/git-srv-admin.sh
+GIT_SRV_ADMIN_SH             = $(GIT_SSH) $(JANWARE_USER)@git.janware.com $(JW_PKG_REMOTE_BINDIR)/git-srv-admin.sh
 JANWARE_PACKAGE_FILTER       = url =~ janware
 
 # ------------ projects to be built