diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cece12b..f00559c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -87,14 +87,16 @@ add_custom_target( manpage
 )
 
 # create_symlink( ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests tests)
-ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(add_tests ALL
-                  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests tests)
+ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(prepare_tests ALL
+                  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests tests
+)
 
 add_custom_target( tests
 	COMMAND echo "Running the tests"
 	COMMAND echo "Note you are expected to:"
 	COMMAND echo "  * have lua-posix installed"
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/setup.lua
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/lsyncd -log all -script ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/utils_test.lua
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/schedule.lua
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/l4rsyncdata.lua
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/filter-rsync.lua
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ add_custom_target( tests
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/churn-direct.lua
 	COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/teardown.lua
 	COMMAND echo "Finished all successfull!"
-	DEPENDS add_tests
+	DEPENDS prepare_tests
 )
 
 # compiling and linking it all together
diff --git a/lsyncd.lua b/lsyncd.lua
index 3c9a75a..6690a9a 100644
--- a/lsyncd.lua
+++ b/lsyncd.lua
@@ -3449,6 +3449,35 @@ local function splitPath
 	end
 end
 
+function splitQuotedString
+    (
+        text
+    )
+    local spat, epat, buf, quoted = [=[^(['"])]=], [=[(['"])$]=]
+    local rv = {}
+    for str in text:gmatch("%S+") do
+        local squoted = str:match(spat)
+        local equoted = str:match(epat)
+        local escaped = str:match([=[(\*)['"]$]=])
+        if squoted and not quoted and not equoted then
+            buf, quoted = str, squoted
+        elseif buf and equoted == quoted and #escaped % 2 == 0 then
+            str, buf, quoted = buf .. ' ' .. str, nil, nil
+        elseif buf then
+            buf = buf .. ' ' .. str
+        end
+        if not buf
+        then
+            table.insert(rv, (str:gsub(spat,""):gsub(epat,"")))
+        end
+    end
+    if buf
+    then
+        print("Missing matching quote for "..buf)
+    end
+    return rv
+end
+
 --
 -- Interface to inotify.
 --
@@ -4616,6 +4645,7 @@ OPTIONS:
   -nodaemon           Does not detach and logs to stdout/stderr
   -pidfile FILE       Writes Lsyncds PID into FILE
   -runner FILE        Loads Lsyncds lua part from FILE
+  -sshopts			  Additional ssh command options when using rsyncssh
   -version            Prints versions and exits
 
 LICENSE:
@@ -4740,7 +4770,18 @@ function runner.configure( args, monitors )
 			end
 		},
 
-		rsync =
+		sshopts =
+		{
+			1,
+			function
+			(
+				options
+			)
+				clSettings.ssh_extras = splitQuotedString(options)
+			end
+		},
+
+		rsync  =
 		{
 			2,
 			function
@@ -4946,12 +4987,17 @@ function runner.initialize( firstTime )
 				}
 			elseif s[ 1 ] == 'rsyncssh'
 			then
-				sync{
+				local opts = {
 					default.rsyncssh,
 					source = s[ 2 ],
 					host   = s[ 3 ],
 					targetdir=s[ 4 ]
 				}
+				if clSettings.ssh_extras ~= nil
+				then
+					opts.ssh = {_extra = clSettings.ssh_extras}
+				end
+				sync(opts)
 			elseif s[ 1 ] == 'direct'
 			then
 				sync{
diff --git a/tests/testlib.lua b/tests/testlib.lua
index 6255e03..e976f2e 100644
--- a/tests/testlib.lua
+++ b/tests/testlib.lua
@@ -559,4 +559,35 @@ function churn
 	end
 end
 
+-- check if tables are equal
+function isTableEqual(o1, o2, ignore_mt)
+    if o1 == o2 then return true end
+    local o1Type = type(o1)
+    local o2Type = type(o2)
+    if o1Type ~= o2Type then return false end
+    if o1Type ~= 'table' then return false end
+
+    if not ignore_mt then
+        local mt1 = getmetatable(o1)
+        if mt1 and mt1.__eq then
+            --compare using built in method
+            return o1 == o2
+        end
+    end
+
+    local keySet = {}
+
+    for key1, value1 in pairs(o1) do
+        local value2 = o2[key1]
+        if value2 == nil or isTableEqual(value1, value2, ignore_mt) == false then
+            return false
+        end
+        keySet[key1] = true
+    end
+
+    for key2, _ in pairs(o2) do
+        if not keySet[key2] then return false end
+    end
+    return true
+end
 
diff --git a/tests/utils_test.lua b/tests/utils_test.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7e6942
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils_test.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+dofile( 'tests/testlib.lua' )
+
+cwriteln( '****************************************************************' )
+cwriteln( ' Testing Utils Functions                                         ' )
+cwriteln( '****************************************************************' )
+
+assert(isTableEqual(
+    splitQuotedString("-p 22 -i '/home/test/bla blu/id_rsa'"),
+    {"-p", "22", "-i", "/home/test/bla blu/id_rsa"}
+))
+
+os.exit(0)
\ No newline at end of file