diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
index eddbc89b..497d6bb7 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ def test_cmd_options(parser):
         action="store_true",
         help="also run slow tests",
     )
+    add_ssh_host_option(parser)
 
 
 def test_cmd(args, out):
@@ -214,6 +215,9 @@ def test_cmd(args, out):
     x = importlib.util.find_spec("deltachat")
     if x is None:
         out.check_call(f"{sys.executable} -m pip install deltachat")
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    if args.ssh_host:
+        env["CHATMAIL_SSH"] = args.ssh_host
 
     pytest_path = shutil.which("pytest")
     pytest_args = [
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ def test_cmd(args, out):
     ]
     if args.slow:
         pytest_args.append("--slow")
-    ret = out.run_ret(pytest_args)
+    ret = out.run_ret(pytest_args, env=env)
     return ret
 
 
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
index c8dd2c79..7470d927 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/sshexec.py
@@ -85,16 +85,31 @@ class SSHExec:
 
 
 class LocalExec:
+    FuncError = FuncError
+
     def __init__(self, verbose=False, docker=False):
         self.verbose = verbose
         self.docker = docker
 
+    def __call__(self, call, kwargs=None, log_callback=None):
+        if kwargs is None:
+            kwargs = {}
+        return call(**kwargs)
+
     def logged(self, call, kwargs: dict):
+        title = call.__doc__
+        if not title:
+            title = call.__name__
         where = "locally"
         if self.docker:
             if call == remote.rdns.perform_initial_checks:
                 kwargs["pre_command"] = "docker exec chatmail "
                 where = "in docker"
         if self.verbose:
-            print(f"Running {where}: {call.__name__}(**{kwargs})")
-        return call(**kwargs)
+            print_stderr(f"Running {where}: {title}(**{kwargs})")
+            return self(call, kwargs, log_callback=print_stderr)
+        else:
+            print_stderr(title, end="")
+            res = self(call, kwargs, log_callback=remote.rshell.log_progress)
+            print_stderr()
+            return res
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_1_basic.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_1_basic.py
index c8525125..61f34381 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_1_basic.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_1_basic.py
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ import time
 import pytest
 
 from cmdeploy import remote
-from cmdeploy.sshexec import SSHExec
+from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import get_sshexec
 
 
 class TestSSHExecutor:
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def sshexec(self, sshdomain):
-        return SSHExec(sshdomain)
+        return get_sshexec(sshdomain)
 
     def test_ls(self, sshexec):
         out = sshexec(call=remote.rdns.shell, kwargs=dict(command="ls"))
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class TestSSHExecutor:
         assert res["A"] or res["AAAA"]
 
     def test_logged(self, sshexec, maildomain, capsys):
+        sshexec.verbose = False
         sshexec.logged(
             remote.rdns.perform_initial_checks, kwargs=dict(mail_domain=maildomain)
         )
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ class TestSSHExecutor:
                 remote.rdns.perform_initial_checks,
                 kwargs=dict(mail_domain=None),
             )
+        except AssertionError:
+            pass
         except sshexec.FuncError as e:
             assert "rdns.py" in str(e)
             assert "AssertionError" in str(e)
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_2_deltachat.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_2_deltachat.py
index c0cb85e6..2a0527c6 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_2_deltachat.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_2_deltachat.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import pytest
 import requests
 
 from cmdeploy.remote import rshell
-from cmdeploy.sshexec import SSHExec
+from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import get_sshexec
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class TestEndToEndDeltaChat:
         lp.sec(f"filling remote inbox for {user}")
         fn = f"7743102289.M843172P2484002.c20,S={quota},W=2398:2,"
         path = chatmail_config.mailboxes_dir.joinpath(user, "cur", fn)
-        sshexec = SSHExec(sshdomain)
+        sshexec = get_sshexec(sshdomain)
         sshexec(call=rshell.write_numbytes, kwargs=dict(path=str(path), num=120))
         res = sshexec(call=rshell.dovecot_recalc_quota, kwargs=dict(user=user))
         assert res["percent"] >= 100
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_3_status.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_3_status.py
index 1783c32e..d505faf7 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_3_status.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/online/test_3_status.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import main
 
 def test_status_cmd(chatmail_config, capsys, request):
     os.chdir(request.config.invocation_params.dir)
-    assert main(["status"]) == 0
+    command = ["status"]
+    if os.getenv("CHATMAIL_SSH"):
+        command.append("--ssh-host")
+        command.append(os.getenv("CHATMAIL_SSH"))
+    assert main(command) == 0
     status_out = capsys.readouterr()
     print(status_out.out)
 
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
index 6037518b..67d07ccf 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/plugin.py
@@ -337,8 +337,14 @@ class Remote:
 
     def iter_output(self, logcmd=""):
         getjournal = "journalctl -f" if not logcmd else logcmd
+        print(self.sshdomain)
+        match self.sshdomain:
+            case "@local": command = []
+            case "localhost": command = []
+            case _: command = ["ssh", f"root@{self.sshdomain}"]
+        [command.append(arg) for arg in getjournal.split()]
         self.popen = subprocess.Popen(
-            ["ssh", f"root@{self.sshdomain}", getjournal],
+            command,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
         )
         while 1: