diff --git a/lib/uri/open-scp.rb b/lib/uri/open-scp.rb
index 086fbe7..9fa4c4a 100644
--- a/lib/uri/open-scp.rb
+++ b/lib/uri/open-scp.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ module URI
 
   class SCP
     def buffer_open(buf, proxy, open_options)
-      options = open_options.merge(:port => port, :password => password)
+      options = open_options.dup
+      options[:ssh] = { :port => port }
+      options[:ssh][:password] = password if password
+      options[:ssh].merge!(open_options[:ssh] || {})
       progress = options.delete(:progress_proc)
       buf << Net::SCP.download!(host, user, path, nil, options, &progress)
       buf.io.rewind