diff --git a/examples/ansible.cfg b/examples/ansible.cfg
index 207e060add..32c9554556 100644
--- a/examples/ansible.cfg
+++ b/examples/ansible.cfg
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ sudo_user=root
 
 transport=paramiko
 
+# the following makes ansible use scp if the connection type is ssh (default is sftp)
+
+scp_if_ssh=True
+
 # remote SSH port to be used when --port or "port:" or an equivalent inventory
 # variable is not specified.
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index b97cfab85c..53656b4475 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ DEFAULT_SUDO_USER         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'sudo_user',        'ANSIBLE
 DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ask_sudo_pass',    'ANSIBLE_ASK_SUDO_PASS',    False)
 DEFAULT_REMOTE_PORT       = int(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_port',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT',      22))
 DEFAULT_TRANSPORT         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'transport',        'ANSIBLE_TRANSPORT',        'paramiko')
+DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH        = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'scp_if_ssh',       'ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH',       False)
 DEFAULT_MANAGED_STR       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ansible_managed',  None,           'Ansible managed: {file} modified on %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S by {uid} on {host}')
 
 DEFAULT_ACTION_PLUGIN_PATH     = shell_expand_path(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'action_plugins',     None, '/usr/share/ansible_plugins/action_plugins'))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
index 97b8e26d2d..3a94ad40c4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
@@ -118,20 +118,34 @@ class Connection(object):
         vvv("PUT %s TO %s" % (in_path, out_path), host=self.host)
         if not os.path.exists(in_path):
             raise errors.AnsibleFileNotFound("file or module does not exist: %s" % in_path)
-        sftp_cmd = ["sftp"] + self.common_args + [self.host]
-        p = subprocess.Popen(sftp_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
-                             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
-        stdout, stderr = p.communicate("put %s %s\n" % (in_path, out_path))
+        if C.DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH:
+            ft_cmd = ["scp"] + self.common_args
+            ft_cmd += [in_path,self.host + ":" + out_path]
+            p = subprocess.Popen(ft_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
+        else:
+            sftp_cmd = ["sftp"] + self.common_args + [self.host]
+            p = subprocess.Popen(sftp_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            stdout, stderr = p.communicate("put %s %s\n" % (in_path, out_path))
         if p.returncode != 0:
             raise errors.AnsibleError("failed to transfer file to %s:\n%s\n%s" % (out_path, stdout, stderr))
 
     def fetch_file(self, in_path, out_path):
         ''' fetch a file from remote to local '''
         vvv("FETCH %s TO %s" % (in_path, out_path), host=self.host)
-        sftp_cmd = ["sftp"] + self.common_args + [self.host]
-        p = subprocess.Popen(sftp_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
-                             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
-        stdout, stderr = p.communicate("get %s %s\n" % (in_path, out_path))
+        if C.DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH:
+            ft_cmd = ["scp"] + self.common_args
+            ft_cmd += [self.host + ":" + in_path, out_path]
+            p = subprocess.Popen(ft_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
+        else:
+            sftp_cmd = ["sftp"] + self.common_args + [self.host]
+            p = subprocess.Popen(sftp_cmd, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            stdout, stderr = p.communicate("get %s %s\n" % (in_path, out_path))
         if p.returncode != 0:
             raise errors.AnsibleError("failed to transfer file from %s:\n%s\n%s" % (in_path, stdout, stderr))