diff --git a/contrib/ssh b/contrib/ssh
index 6f11d8fc..37831bb6 100644
--- a/contrib/ssh
+++ b/contrib/ssh
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ _ssh()
 
     COMPREPLY=()
     cur=`_get_cword :`
-    prev=${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD-1]}
+    prev=`_get_pword`
 
     _ssh_suboption_check && return 0
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ _sftp()
 
     COMPREPLY=()
     cur=`_get_cword`
-    prev=${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD-1]}
+    prev=`_get_pword`
 
     _ssh_suboption_check && return 0
 
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ _ssh_copy_id()
 
     COMPREPLY=()
     cur=`_get_cword`
-    prev=${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD-1]}
+    prev=`_get_pword`
 
     case $prev in
         -i)