diff --git a/aws/aws_sso_ssh.sh b/aws/aws_sso_ssh.sh
index 1c80944123a..5498e8a2d5b 100755
--- a/aws/aws_sso_ssh.sh
+++ b/aws/aws_sso_ssh.sh
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ timestamp "Copying AWS SSO credential cache to $server"
 # the first time on a new EC2 VM this will fail without pre-creating the directories
 # want splitting and evaluation on client side
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086,SC2029
-ssh $SSH_OPTIONS "$server" "mkdir -pv $creds_homepath"
+ssh ${SSH_OPTIONS:-} "$server" "mkdir -pv $creds_homepath"
 
 # want splitting
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-scp $SSH_OPTIONS "$creds" "$server":"$creds_homepath"
+scp ${SSH_OPTIONS:-} "$creds" "$server":"$creds_homepath"
 
 echo >&2
 
@@ -116,4 +116,4 @@ timestamp "SSH'ing to $server"
 
 # want splitting
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-exec ssh $SSH_OPTIONS "$server"
+exec ssh ${SSH_OPTIONS:-} "$server"