diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index ca994bb..ffa99f7 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 btrbk-current
 
   * Added configuration option "ssh_port" (close: #39).
+  * Added configuration option "ssh_compression" (close: #44).
   * Added command line option "--progress" (close: #42).
 
 btrbk-0.19.3
diff --git a/btrbk b/btrbk
index a32abce..5a8c55b 100755
--- a/btrbk
+++ b/btrbk
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ my %config_options = (
   ssh_identity              => { default => undef,    accept_file => { absolute => 1 } },
   ssh_user                  => { default => "root",   accept_regexp => qr/^[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]*$/ },
   ssh_port                  => { default => "default", accept => [ "default" ], accept_numeric => 1 },
+  ssh_compression           => { default => undef,    accept => [ "yes", "no" ] },
   btrfs_progs_compat        => { default => undef,    accept => [ "yes", "no" ] },
 
   # deprecated options
@@ -230,12 +231,14 @@ sub vinfo($$)
    );
 
   if($url =~ /^ssh:\/\/(\S+?)(\/\S+)$/) {
-    my ($host, $path) = ($1, $2);
-    my $ssh_port      = config_key($config, "ssh_port");
-    my $ssh_user      = config_key($config, "ssh_user");
-    my $ssh_identity  = config_key($config, "ssh_identity");
+    my ($host, $path)   = ($1, $2);
+    my $ssh_port        = config_key($config, "ssh_port");
+    my $ssh_user        = config_key($config, "ssh_user");
+    my $ssh_identity    = config_key($config, "ssh_identity");
+    my $ssh_compression = config_key($config, "ssh_compression");
     my @ssh_options;
     push(@ssh_options, '-p', $ssh_port) if($ssh_port ne "default");
+    push(@ssh_options, '-C') if($ssh_compression);
     if($ssh_identity) {
       push(@ssh_options, '-i', $ssh_identity);
     } else {
diff --git a/btrbk.conf.example b/btrbk.conf.example
index 76be6c3..6238cbf 100644
--- a/btrbk.conf.example
+++ b/btrbk.conf.example
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ snapshot_dir               _btrbk_snap
 #ssh_identity               /etc/btrbk/ssh/id_ed25519
 #ssh_user                   root
 #ssh_port                   default
+#ssh_compression            no
 
 # Don't wait for transaction commit on deletion. Set this to "after"
 # or "each" to make sure the deletion of subvolumes is committed to
diff --git a/doc/btrbk.conf.5 b/doc/btrbk.conf.5
index 965aaaa..85b0702 100644
--- a/doc/btrbk.conf.5
+++ b/doc/btrbk.conf.5
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ have to make sure that the remote user is able to run /sbin/btrfs
 Port to connect to on the remote host. Defaults to \[lq]default\[rq]
 (the port specified in \fIssh_config\fR, which defaults to 22).
 .TP
+\fBssh_compression\fR  yes|no
+Enables or disables the compression of ssh connections. Defaults to
+\[lq]no\[rq].
+.TP
 \fBbtrfs_commit_delete\fR  after|each|no
 If set, make sure the deletion of snapshot and backup subvolumes are
 committed to disk when btrbk terminates. Defaults to \[lq]no\[rq].