diff --git a/examples/cluster.py b/examples/cluster.py
index b81bbc9864ec6929fdab061df10a4e60d83f90cc..14ecbfbc76884a25bfd52364ec863adc5a645401 100755
--- a/examples/cluster.py
+++ b/examples/cluster.py
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ def __init__( self, name, server='localhost', user=None, serverIP=None,
             self.sshcmd = [ 'sudo', '-E', '-u', self.user ] + self.sshbase
             if self.controlPath:
                 self.sshcmd += [ '-o', 'ControlPath=' + self.controlPath,
-                                 '-o', 'ControlMaster=auto' ]
+                                 '-o', 'ControlMaster=auto',
+                                 '-o', 'ControlPersist=' + '1' ]
             self.sshcmd = self.sshcmd + [ self.dest ]
             self.isRemote = True
         else: