diff --git a/tests/run-tests.py b/tests/run-tests.py
--- a/tests/run-tests.py
+++ b/tests/run-tests.py
@@ -1545,6 +1545,11 @@
             hgrc.write(b'merge = internal:merge\n')
             hgrc.write(b'mergemarkers = detailed\n')
             hgrc.write(b'promptecho = True\n')
+            esc_executable = _sys2bytes(shellquote(sysexecutable))
+            dummyssh = _sys2bytes(
+                shellquote(_bytes2sys(os.path.join(self._testdir, b'dummyssh')))
+            )
+            hgrc.write(b'ssh = %s %s\n' % (esc_executable, dummyssh))
             hgrc.write(b'timeout.warn=15\n')
             hgrc.write(b'[defaults]\n')
             hgrc.write(b'[devel]\n')
diff --git a/tests/test-ssh-clone-r.t b/tests/test-ssh-clone-r.t
--- a/tests/test-ssh-clone-r.t
+++ b/tests/test-ssh-clone-r.t
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 clone remote via stream
 
   $ for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8; do
-  >    hg clone -e "\"$PYTHON\" \"$TESTDIR/dummyssh\"" --stream -r "$i" ssh://user@dummy/remote test-"$i"
+  >    hg clone --stream -r "$i" ssh://user@dummy/remote test-"$i"
   >    if cd test-"$i"; then
   >       hg verify
   >       cd ..
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
   checked 9 changesets with 7 changes to 4 files
   $ cd ..
   $ cd test-1
-  $ hg pull -e "\"$PYTHON\" \"$TESTDIR/dummyssh\"" -r 4 ssh://user@dummy/remote
+  $ hg pull -r 4 ssh://user@dummy/remote
   pulling from ssh://user@dummy/remote
   searching for changes
   adding changesets
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
   crosschecking files in changesets and manifests
   checking files
   checked 3 changesets with 2 changes to 1 files
-  $ hg pull -e "\"$PYTHON\" \"$TESTDIR/dummyssh\"" ssh://user@dummy/remote
+  $ hg pull ssh://user@dummy/remote
   pulling from ssh://user@dummy/remote
   searching for changes
   adding changesets
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
   (run 'hg update' to get a working copy)
   $ cd ..
   $ cd test-2
-  $ hg pull -e "\"$PYTHON\" \"$TESTDIR/dummyssh\"" -r 5 ssh://user@dummy/remote
+  $ hg pull -r 5 ssh://user@dummy/remote
   pulling from ssh://user@dummy/remote
   searching for changes
   adding changesets
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
   crosschecking files in changesets and manifests
   checking files
   checked 5 changesets with 3 changes to 1 files
-  $ hg pull -e "\"$PYTHON\" \"$TESTDIR/dummyssh\"" ssh://user@dummy/remote
+  $ hg pull ssh://user@dummy/remote
   pulling from ssh://user@dummy/remote
   searching for changes
   adding changesets