diff --git a/dvc/remote/ssh.py b/dvc/remote/ssh.py
index db349065b..04fdf8c3f 100644
--- a/dvc/remote/ssh.py
+++ b/dvc/remote/ssh.py
@@ -60,10 +60,9 @@ class RemoteSSH(RemoteBase):
         super(RemoteSSH, self).__init__(project, config)
         self.url = config.get(Config.SECTION_REMOTE_URL, '/')
         self.host = self.group('host')
-        self.user = self.group('user')
-        if not self.user:
-            self.user = config.get(Config.SECTION_REMOTE_USER,
-                                   getpass.getuser())
+        self.user = (config.get(Config.SECTION_REMOTE_USER)
+                     or self.group('user')
+                     or getpass.getuser())
         self.prefix = self.group('path')
         self.port = config.get(Config.SECTION_REMOTE_PORT, self.DEFAULT_PORT)
         self.keyfile = config.get(Config.SECTION_REMOTE_KEY_FILE, None)
diff --git a/tests/unit/remote/ssh.py b/tests/unit/remote/ssh.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0eed57b3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/remote/ssh.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import getpass
+
+from unittest import TestCase
+
+from dvc.remote.ssh import RemoteSSH
+
+
+class TestRemoteSSH(TestCase):
+    def test_user(self):
+        url = 'ssh://127.0.0.1:/path/to/dir'
+        config = {'url': url}
+        remote = RemoteSSH(None, config)
+        self.assertEqual(remote.user, getpass.getuser())
+
+        user = 'test1'
+        url = 'ssh://{}@127.0.0.1:/path/to/dir'.format(user)
+        config = {'url': url}
+        remote = RemoteSSH(None, config)
+        self.assertEqual(remote.user, user)
+
+        user = 'test2'
+        config['user'] = user
+        remote = RemoteSSH(None, config)
+        self.assertEqual(remote.user, user)