diff --git a/dvc/fs/ssh.py b/dvc/fs/ssh.py
index 9966d147c..b2e4cc7fe 100644
--- a/dvc/fs/ssh.py
+++ b/dvc/fs/ssh.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class SSHFileSystem(FSSpecWrapper):
             path_str = path.path
         else:
             path_str = super()._with_bucket(path)
-        return os.path.normpath(path_str)
+        return path_str
 
     def _prepare_credentials(self, **config):
         self.CAN_TRAVERSE = True
diff --git a/tests/unit/fs/test_ssh.py b/tests/unit/fs/test_ssh.py
index 60712e9b1..cac9d6732 100644
--- a/tests/unit/fs/test_ssh.py
+++ b/tests/unit/fs/test_ssh.py
@@ -178,3 +178,23 @@ def test_ssh_multi_identity_files(mock_file):
 def test_ssh_gss_auth(mock_file, config, expected_gss_auth):
     fs = SSHFileSystem(**config)
     assert fs.fs_args["gss_auth"] == expected_gss_auth
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "url, path",
+    [
+        ("ssh://a@b/", "/"),
+        ("ssh://a@b:/", "/"),
+        ("ssh://a@b/home", "/home"),
+        ("ssh://a@b:/home", "/home"),
+        ("ssh://a@b/home/tmp", "/home/tmp"),
+        ("ssh://a@b:/home/tmp", "/home/tmp"),
+        ("ssh://a@b/home/tmp/something", "/home/tmp/something"),
+        ("ssh://a@b:/home/tmp/something", "/home/tmp/something"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_ssh_fs_path_management(url, path):
+    fs = SSHFileSystem(host="x.y.z")
+
+    path_info = fs.PATH_CLS(url)
+    assert fs._with_bucket(path_info) == path