diff --git a/ssh.py b/ssh.py
index ffa0d6c02..6de8b89e8 100644
--- a/ssh.py
+++ b/ssh.py
@@ -52,12 +52,12 @@ def _parse_ssh_version(ver_str=None):
 
 @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=None)
 def version():
-    """return ssh version as a tuple"""
+    """Return ssh version as a tuple.
+
+    If ssh is not available, a FileNotFoundError will be raised.
+    """
     try:
         return _parse_ssh_version()
-    except FileNotFoundError:
-        print("fatal: ssh not installed", file=sys.stderr)
-        sys.exit(1)
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
         print(
             "fatal: unable to detect ssh version"
@@ -102,9 +102,18 @@ class ProxyManager:
         self._clients = manager.list()
         # Path to directory for holding master sockets.
         self._sock_path = None
+        # See if ssh is usable.
+        self._ssh_installed = False
 
     def __enter__(self):
         """Enter a new context."""
+        # Check which version of ssh is available.
+        try:
+            version()
+            self._ssh_installed = True
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            self._ssh_installed = False
+
         return self
 
     def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
@@ -282,6 +291,9 @@ class ProxyManager:
 
     def preconnect(self, url):
         """If |uri| will create a ssh connection, setup the ssh master for it."""  # noqa: E501
+        if not self._ssh_installed:
+            return False
+
         m = URI_ALL.match(url)
         if m:
             scheme = m.group(1)
@@ -306,6 +318,9 @@ class ProxyManager:
 
         This has all the master sockets so clients can talk to them.
         """
+        if not self._ssh_installed:
+            return None
+
         if self._sock_path is None:
             if not create:
                 return None
diff --git a/tests/test_ssh.py b/tests/test_ssh.py
index a15c0b5fe..ce65fac45 100644
--- a/tests/test_ssh.py
+++ b/tests/test_ssh.py
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ import ssh
 class SshTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """Tests the ssh functions."""
 
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        super().setUp()
+        ssh.version.cache_clear()
+
     def test_parse_ssh_version(self):
         """Check _parse_ssh_version() handling."""
         ver = ssh._parse_ssh_version("Unknown\n")
@@ -56,11 +60,12 @@ class SshTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_context_manager_child_cleanup(self):
         """Verify orphaned clients & masters get cleaned up."""
         with multiprocessing.Manager() as manager:
-            with ssh.ProxyManager(manager) as ssh_proxy:
-                client = subprocess.Popen(["sleep", "964853320"])
-                ssh_proxy.add_client(client)
-                master = subprocess.Popen(["sleep", "964853321"])
-                ssh_proxy.add_master(master)
+            with mock.patch("ssh.version", return_value=(1, 2)):
+                with ssh.ProxyManager(manager) as ssh_proxy:
+                    client = subprocess.Popen(["sleep", "964853320"])
+                    ssh_proxy.add_client(client)
+                    master = subprocess.Popen(["sleep", "964853321"])
+                    ssh_proxy.add_master(master)
         # If the process still exists, these will throw timeout errors.
         client.wait(0)
         master.wait(0)
@@ -72,9 +77,11 @@ class SshTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with mock.patch("tempfile.mkdtemp", return_value="/tmp/foo"):
             # Old ssh version uses port.
             with mock.patch("ssh.version", return_value=(6, 6)):
-                self.assertTrue(proxy.sock().endswith("%p"))
+                with proxy as ssh_proxy:
+                    self.assertTrue(ssh_proxy.sock().endswith("%p"))
 
             proxy._sock_path = None
             # New ssh version uses hash.
             with mock.patch("ssh.version", return_value=(6, 7)):
-                self.assertTrue(proxy.sock().endswith("%C"))
+                with proxy as ssh_proxy:
+                    self.assertTrue(ssh_proxy.sock().endswith("%C"))