diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/rackspace_server_create.rb b/lib/chef/knife/rackspace_server_create.rb
index 8778718..ae5240b 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/rackspace_server_create.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/rackspace_server_create.rb
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ class RackspaceServerCreate < Knife
         :long => "--ssh-password PASSWORD",
         :description => "The ssh password"
 
+      option :ssh_port,
+        :short => "-p PORT",
+        :long => "--ssh-port PORT",
+        :description => "The ssh port",
+        :default => "22",
+        :proc => Proc.new { |key| Chef::Config[:knife][:ssh_port] = key }
+
       option :identity_file,
         :short => "-i IDENTITY_FILE",
         :long => "--identity-file IDENTITY_FILE",
@@ -110,7 +117,8 @@ class RackspaceServerCreate < Knife
         :default => ""
 
       def tcp_test_ssh(hostname)
-        tcp_socket = TCPSocket.new(hostname, 22)
+        ssh_port = Chef::Config[:knife][:ssh_port] || config[:ssh_port]
+        tcp_socket = TCPSocket.new(hostname, ssh_port)
         readable = IO.select([tcp_socket], nil, nil, 5)
         if readable
           Chef::Log.debug("sshd accepting connections on #{hostname}, banner is #{tcp_socket.gets}")
@@ -194,6 +202,7 @@ def bootstrap_for_node(server)
         bootstrap.config[:run_list] = config[:run_list]
         bootstrap.config[:ssh_user] = config[:ssh_user] || "root"
         bootstrap.config[:ssh_password] = server.password
+        bootstrap.config[:ssh_port] = Chef::Config[:knife][:ssh_port] || config[:ssh_port]
         bootstrap.config[:identity_file] = config[:identity_file]
         bootstrap.config[:chef_node_name] = config[:chef_node_name] || server.id
         bootstrap.config[:prerelease] = config[:prerelease]