diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 82ae7d0..d194669 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -162,6 +162,11 @@
 										"type": "string",
 										"description": "Absolute path to private key"
 									},
+									"useAgent": {
+										"type": "boolean",
+										"description": "Auto-detect the running SSH agent (via SSH_AUTH_SOCK environment variable) and use it to perform authentication",
+										"default": false
+									},
 									"forwardX11": {
 										"type": "boolean",
 										"description": "If true, the server will redirect x11 to the local host",
@@ -287,6 +292,11 @@
 										"type": "string",
 										"description": "Absolute path to private key"
 									},
+									"useAgent": {
+										"type": "boolean",
+										"description": "Auto-detect the running SSH agent (via SSH_AUTH_SOCK environment variable) and use it to perform authentication",
+										"default": false
+									},
 									"forwardX11": {
 										"type": "boolean",
 										"description": "If true, the server will redirect x11 to the local host",
@@ -547,6 +557,11 @@
 										"type": "string",
 										"description": "Absolute path to private key"
 									},
+									"useAgent": {
+										"type": "boolean",
+										"description": "Auto-detect the running SSH agent (via SSH_AUTH_SOCK environment variable) and use it to perform authentication",
+										"default": false
+									},
 									"forwardX11": {
 										"type": "boolean",
 										"description": "If true, the server will redirect x11 to the local host",
diff --git a/src/backend/backend.ts b/src/backend/backend.ts
index 2b124bc..1302808 100644
--- a/src/backend/backend.ts
+++ b/src/backend/backend.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export interface SSHArguments {
 	host: string;
 	keyfile: string;
 	password: string;
+	useAgent: boolean;
 	cwd: string;
 	port: number;
 	user: string;
diff --git a/src/backend/mi2/mi2.ts b/src/backend/mi2/mi2.ts
index 9049bcf..f6bec8d 100644
--- a/src/backend/mi2/mi2.ts
+++ b/src/backend/mi2/mi2.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ export class MI2 extends EventEmitter implements IBackend {
 				username: args.user
 			};
 
-			if (args.keyfile) {
+			if (args.useAgent) {
+				connectionArgs.agent = process.env.SSH_AUTH_SOCK;
+			} else if (args.keyfile) {
 				if (require("fs").existsSync(args.keyfile))
 					connectionArgs.privateKey = require("fs").readFileSync(args.keyfile);
 				else {