diff --git a/pkg/roachprod/install/cluster_synced.go b/pkg/roachprod/install/cluster_synced.go
index 3a05621d1327..067699f7586a 100644
--- a/pkg/roachprod/install/cluster_synced.go
+++ b/pkg/roachprod/install/cluster_synced.go
@@ -2381,7 +2381,9 @@ func (c *SyncedCluster) SSH(ctx context.Context, l *logger.Logger, sshArgs, args
 // which we do want to be able to retry.
 func scp(src, dest string) (*RunResultDetails, error) {
 	args := []string{
-		"scp", "-r", "-C",
+		"scp",
+		// ssh to src then scp dsc mode, use agent forwarding, recursive, compression
+		"-R", "-A", "-r", "-C",
 		"-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=no",
 	}
 	args = append(args, sshAuthArgs()...)