diff --git a/py/misc/conftest-socketgatewayrun.py b/py/misc/conftest-socketgatewayrun.py
index 04e634416..10fe04485 100644
--- a/py/misc/conftest-socketgatewayrun.py
+++ b/py/misc/conftest-socketgatewayrun.py
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@ from py.__.test.terminal.remote import RemoteTerminalSession
 
 import os
 
+Option = py.test.config.Option
+
+option = py.test.config.addoptions("execnet options",
+        Option('-S', '',
+               action="store", dest="sshtarget", default=None,
+               help=("target to run tests requiring ssh, e.g. "
+                     "user@codespeak.net")),
+    )
+
 class MyRSync(py.execnet.RSync):
     def filter(self, path):
         if path.endswith('.pyc') or path.endswith('~'):