diff --git a/git_config.py b/git_config.py
index 1d8d1363..d7fef8ca 100644
--- a/git_config.py
+++ b/git_config.py
@@ -520,6 +520,14 @@ class Remote(object):
     return self.url.replace(longest, longestUrl, 1)
 
   def PreConnectFetch(self):
+    """Run any setup for this remote before we connect to it.
+
+    In practice, if the remote is using SSH, we'll attempt to create a new
+    SSH master session to it for reuse across projects.
+
+    Returns:
+      Whether the preconnect phase for this remote was successful.
+    """
     connectionUrl = self._InsteadOf()
     return ssh.preconnect(connectionUrl)
 
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 96744335..e399ddce 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ from error import RepoChangedException
 import gitc_utils
 from manifest_xml import GitcClient, RepoClient
 from pager import RunPager, TerminatePager
-import ssh
 from wrapper import WrapperPath, Wrapper
 
 from subcmds import all_commands
@@ -592,20 +591,16 @@ def _Main(argv):
 
   repo = _Repo(opt.repodir)
   try:
-    try:
-      ssh.init()
-      init_http()
-      name, gopts, argv = repo._ParseArgs(argv)
-      run = lambda: repo._Run(name, gopts, argv) or 0
-      if gopts.trace_python:
-        import trace
-        tracer = trace.Trace(count=False, trace=True, timing=True,
-                             ignoredirs=set(sys.path[1:]))
-        result = tracer.runfunc(run)
-      else:
-        result = run()
-    finally:
-      ssh.close()
+    init_http()
+    name, gopts, argv = repo._ParseArgs(argv)
+    run = lambda: repo._Run(name, gopts, argv) or 0
+    if gopts.trace_python:
+      import trace
+      tracer = trace.Trace(count=False, trace=True, timing=True,
+                           ignoredirs=set(sys.path[1:]))
+      result = tracer.runfunc(run)
+    else:
+      result = run()
   except KeyboardInterrupt:
     print('aborted by user', file=sys.stderr)
     result = 1
diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index 7b5b56d4..37558061 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -1050,6 +1050,7 @@ class Project(object):
                        retry_fetches=0,
                        prune=False,
                        submodules=False,
+                       ssh_proxy=None,
                        clone_filter=None,
                        partial_clone_exclude=set()):
     """Perform only the network IO portion of the sync process.
@@ -1143,6 +1144,7 @@ class Project(object):
               alt_dir=alt_dir, current_branch_only=current_branch_only,
               tags=tags, prune=prune, depth=depth,
               submodules=submodules, force_sync=force_sync,
+              ssh_proxy=ssh_proxy,
               clone_filter=clone_filter, retry_fetches=retry_fetches):
         return False
 
@@ -1994,6 +1996,7 @@ class Project(object):
                    prune=False,
                    depth=None,
                    submodules=False,
+                   ssh_proxy=None,
                    force_sync=False,
                    clone_filter=None,
                    retry_fetches=2,
@@ -2041,16 +2044,14 @@ class Project(object):
     if not name:
       name = self.remote.name
 
-    ssh_proxy = False
     remote = self.GetRemote(name)
-    if remote.PreConnectFetch():
-      ssh_proxy = True
+    if not remote.PreConnectFetch():
+      ssh_proxy = False
 
     if initial:
       if alt_dir and 'objects' == os.path.basename(alt_dir):
         ref_dir = os.path.dirname(alt_dir)
         packed_refs = os.path.join(self.gitdir, 'packed-refs')
-        remote = self.GetRemote(name)
 
         all_refs = self.bare_ref.all
         ids = set(all_refs.values())
@@ -2238,7 +2239,7 @@ class Project(object):
             name=name, quiet=quiet, verbose=verbose, output_redir=output_redir,
             current_branch_only=current_branch_only and depth,
             initial=False, alt_dir=alt_dir,
-            depth=None, clone_filter=clone_filter)
+            depth=None, ssh_proxy=ssh_proxy, clone_filter=clone_filter)
 
     return ok
 
diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index 6f5b5644..28568062 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ from error import RepoChangedException, GitError, ManifestParseError
 import platform_utils
 from project import SyncBuffer
 from progress import Progress
+import ssh
 from wrapper import Wrapper
 from manifest_xml import GitcManifest
 
@@ -357,6 +358,7 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
           optimized_fetch=opt.optimized_fetch,
           retry_fetches=opt.retry_fetches,
           prune=opt.prune,
+          ssh_proxy=True,
           clone_filter=self.manifest.CloneFilter,
           partial_clone_exclude=self.manifest.PartialCloneExclude)
 
@@ -983,8 +985,12 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
 
     self._fetch_times = _FetchTimes(self.manifest)
     if not opt.local_only:
-      self._FetchMain(opt, args, all_projects, err_event, manifest_name,
-                      load_local_manifests)
+      try:
+        ssh.init()
+        self._FetchMain(opt, args, all_projects, err_event, manifest_name,
+                        load_local_manifests)
+      finally:
+        ssh.close()
 
       # If we saw an error, exit with code 1 so that other scripts can check.
       if err_event.is_set():