diff --git a/sshuttle/methods/pf.py b/sshuttle/methods/pf.py
index fc238f8..05d7492 100644
--- a/sshuttle/methods/pf.py
+++ b/sshuttle/methods/pf.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import socket
 import struct
 import subprocess as ssubprocess
+import shlex
 from fcntl import ioctl
 from ctypes import c_char, c_uint8, c_uint16, c_uint32, Union, Structure, \
     sizeof, addressof, memmove
@@ -323,7 +324,7 @@ def _get_natlook_port(self, xport):
 
 
 def pfctl(args, stdin=None):
-    argv = ['pfctl'] + list(args.split(" "))
+    argv = ['pfctl'] + shlex.split(args)
     debug1('>> %s\n' % ' '.join(argv))
 
     p = ssubprocess.Popen(argv, stdin=ssubprocess.PIPE,
diff --git a/sshuttle/ssh.py b/sshuttle/ssh.py
index 7691c80..fd4946c 100644
--- a/sshuttle/ssh.py
+++ b/sshuttle/ssh.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import zlib
 import imp
 import subprocess as ssubprocess
+import shlex
 import sshuttle.helpers as helpers
 from sshuttle.helpers import debug2
 
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ def connect(ssh_cmd, rhostport, python, stderr, options):
         argv = [sys.argv[1], '-c', pyscript]
     else:
         if ssh_cmd:
-            sshl = ssh_cmd.split(' ')
+            sshl = shlex.split(ssh_cmd)
         else:
             sshl = ['ssh']
         if python: