diff --git a/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal.ssh/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/ssh/SshConnection.java b/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal.ssh/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/ssh/SshConnection.java
index 0d156afbe08..229260a697a 100644
--- a/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal.ssh/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/ssh/SshConnection.java
+++ b/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal.ssh/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/ssh/SshConnection.java
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ class SshConnection extends Thread {
 			ChannelShell channel=(ChannelShell) session.openChannel("shell"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			channel.setPtyType("ansi"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			channel.connect();
+			setChannel(channel);
 			fConn.setInputStream(channel.getInputStream());
 			fConn.setOutputStream(channel.getOutputStream());
 			fConn.setChannel(channel);