diff --git a/doc/5-icinga-template-library.md b/doc/5-icinga-template-library.md
index a225e5f3b..cfdc56c2c 100644
--- a/doc/5-icinga-template-library.md
+++ b/doc/5-icinga-template-library.md
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ Custom Attributes:
 Name            | Description
 ----------------|--------------
 ssh_address     | **Optional.** The host's address. Defaults to "$address$".
+ssh_port        | **Optional.** The port that should be checked. Defaults to 22.
 
 ### <a id="itl-disk"></a> disk
 
diff --git a/itl/command-common.conf b/itl/command-common.conf
index ace098fbc..489892aa6 100644
--- a/itl/command-common.conf
+++ b/itl/command-common.conf
@@ -193,10 +193,18 @@ object CheckCommand "ntp_time" {
 object CheckCommand "ssh" {
 	import "plugin-check-command"
 
-	command = [
-		PluginDir + "/check_ssh",
-		"$ssh_address$"
-	]
+	command = PluginDir + "/check_ssh"
+
+	arguments = {
+		"-p" = {
+			value = "$ssh_port$"
+			optional = true
+		}
+		"host" = {
+			value = "$ssh_address$"
+			skip_key = true
+		}
+	}
 
 	vars.ssh_address = "$address$"
 }
diff --git a/lib/icinga/icinga-type.conf b/lib/icinga/icinga-type.conf
index b856b7431..ead1ea7f0 100644
--- a/lib/icinga/icinga-type.conf
+++ b/lib/icinga/icinga-type.conf
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@
 			%attribute %string "value"
 			%attribute %string "description"
 			%attribute %number "optional"
+			%attribute %number "skip_key"
 			%attribute %string "set_if"
 		}
 	},
diff --git a/lib/icinga/pluginutility.cpp b/lib/icinga/pluginutility.cpp
index 4b93fb3c8..f5a401d23 100644
--- a/lib/icinga/pluginutility.cpp
+++ b/lib/icinga/pluginutility.cpp
@@ -59,13 +59,15 @@ void PluginUtility::ExecuteCommand(const Command::Ptr& commandObj, const Checkab
 			const Value& arginfo = kv.second;
 
 			bool optional = false;
+			bool skip_key = false;
 			String argval;
 
 			if (arginfo.IsObjectType<Dictionary>()) {
 				Dictionary::Ptr argdict = arginfo;
 				argval = argdict->Get("value");
 				optional = argdict->Get("optional");
-				
+				skip_key = argdict->Get("skip_key");
+
 				String set_if = argdict->Get("set_if");
 
 				if (!set_if.IsEmpty()) {
@@ -106,7 +108,8 @@ void PluginUtility::ExecuteCommand(const Command::Ptr& commandObj, const Checkab
 			}
 
 			Array::Ptr command_arr = command;
-			command_arr->Add(argname);
+			if (!skip_key)
+				command_arr->Add(argname);
 			if (!argval.IsEmpty())
 				command_arr->Add(argresolved);
 		}