diff --git a/blobsend/cli.py b/blobsend/cli.py
index eb0ae47..2a66e31 100644
--- a/blobsend/cli.py
+++ b/blobsend/cli.py
@@ -16,13 +16,14 @@ SCHEMES = {
 }
 
 
-def get_client(uri, is_src):
+def get_client(uri, extra_args, is_src):
     clss = SCHEMES[uri.scheme or "file"]
-    return clss.from_uri(uri, is_src)
+    return clss.from_uri(uri, extra_args, is_src)
 
 
 def get_args():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="file blob copy utility")
+    parser.add_argument("-o", "--options", nargs="+", help="extra arguments")
     parser.add_argument("src", help="source file uri")
     parser.add_argument("dest", help="dest file uri")
 
@@ -87,10 +88,14 @@ def send_parallel(src, dest):
 
 def main():
     args, parser = get_args()
-    print(args)
 
-    src = get_client(urlparse(args.src), True)
-    dest = get_client(urlparse(args.dest), False)
+    extra_args = {}
+    for arg in args.options or []:
+        name, value = arg.split("=", 1)
+        extra_args[name] = value
+
+    src = get_client(urlparse(args.src), extra_args, True)
+    dest = get_client(urlparse(args.dest), extra_args, False)
 
     # send(src, dest)
     send_parallel(src, dest)
diff --git a/blobsend/client_file.py b/blobsend/client_file.py
index 9307f04..aabc34b 100644
--- a/blobsend/client_file.py
+++ b/blobsend/client_file.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class FileChunkClient(BaseChunkClient):
         self.fpool.close()
 
     @staticmethod
-    def from_uri(uri, is_src):
+    def from_uri(uri, extra_args, is_src):
         """
         instantiate a client from the given uri
         """
diff --git a/blobsend/client_ssh.py b/blobsend/client_ssh.py
index 7a8f2da..616c8ad 100644
--- a/blobsend/client_ssh.py
+++ b/blobsend/client_ssh.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 import paramiko
 from blobsend.client_base import BaseChunkClient
 from blobsend import CHUNK_SIZE, hash_chunk, FilePool
@@ -12,15 +13,23 @@ REMOTE_UTILITY = "/Users/dave/code/blobsend/testenv/bin/_blobsend_ssh_remote"#
 
 
 class SshChunkClient(BaseChunkClient):
-    def __init__(self, server, username, password, fpath, is_src, chunk_size=CHUNK_SIZE):
+    def __init__(self, server, username, fpath, is_src, chunk_size=CHUNK_SIZE, password=None, sshkey=None):
         super().__init__(chunk_size)
         self.fpath = fpath
         self.ssh = paramiko.SSHClient()
         self.ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
-        self.ssh.connect(hostname=server,
-                         username=username,
-                         password=password)
 
+        connect_args = dict(
+            hostname=server,
+            username=username
+        )
+        if sshkey:
+            print("using ssh key", sshkey)
+            connect_args.update(pkey=paramiko.RSAKey.from_private_key_file(sshkey))
+        else:
+            connect_args.update(password=password)
+
+        self.ssh.connect(**connect_args)
         self.sftp = self.ssh.open_sftp()
 
         # If the file doesnt exist and we are the destination, create it
@@ -80,23 +89,31 @@ class SshChunkClient(BaseChunkClient):
         self.fpool.close()
 
     @staticmethod
-    def from_uri(uri, is_src):
+    def from_uri(uri, extra_args, is_src):
         """
         instantiate a client from the given uri
         """
-        return SshChunkClient(uri.hostname, uri.username, uri.password, uri.path, is_src)
+        return SshChunkClient(uri.hostname, uri.username, uri.path, is_src, password=uri.password, sshkey=extra_args.get("sshkey"))
 
 
 class SshChunkClientParallelConnections(BaseChunkClient):
-    def __init__(self, server, username, password, fpath, is_src, chunk_size=CHUNK_SIZE):
+    def __init__(self, server, username, fpath, is_src, chunk_size=CHUNK_SIZE, password=None, sshkey=None):
         super().__init__(chunk_size)
         self.fpath = fpath
         self.ssh = paramiko.SSHClient()
         self.ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
-        self.ssh.connect(hostname=server,
-                         username=username,
-                         password=password)
 
+        connect_args = dict(
+            hostname=server,
+            username=username
+        )
+        if sshkey:
+            print("using ssh key", sshkey)
+            connect_args.update(pkey=paramiko.RSAKey.from_private_key_file(sshkey))
+        else:
+            connect_args.update(password=password)
+
+        self.ssh.connect(**connect_args)
         self.sftp = self.ssh.open_sftp()
 
         # If the file doesnt exist and we are the destination, create it
@@ -111,9 +128,7 @@ class SshChunkClientParallelConnections(BaseChunkClient):
         def _fpool_open():
             ssh = paramiko.SSHClient()
             ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
-            ssh.connect(hostname=server,
-                        username=username,
-                        password=password)
+            ssh.connect(**connect_args)
 
             sftp = ssh.open_sftp()
             f = sftp.open(self.fpath, "r+")
@@ -162,11 +177,11 @@ class SshChunkClientParallelConnections(BaseChunkClient):
         self.fpool.close()
 
     @staticmethod
-    def from_uri(uri, is_src):
+    def from_uri(uri, extra_args, is_src):
         """
         instantiate a client from the given uri
         """
-        return SshChunkClientParallelConnections(uri.hostname, uri.username, uri.password, uri.path, is_src)
+        return SshChunkClientParallelConnections(uri.hostname, uri.username, uri.path, is_src, password=uri.password, sshkey=extra_args.get("sshkey"))
 
 
 class SshChunkClientOld(BaseChunkClient):