diff --git a/nixops/backends/__init__.py b/nixops/backends/__init__.py
index cbfd4734d..68836f8d7 100644
--- a/nixops/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/nixops/backends/__init__.py
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ def send_keys(self):
     def get_keys(self):
         return self.keys
 
-    def get_ssh_name(self):
+    def get_ssh_name(self, scp=False):
         assert False
 
     def get_ssh_flags(self, scp=False):
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ def upload_file(self, source, target, recursive=False):
         cmdline = ["scp"] + self.get_ssh_flags(True) + master.opts
         if recursive:
             cmdline += ['-r']
-        cmdline += [source, "root@" + self.get_ssh_name() + ":" + target]
+        cmdline += [source, "root@" + self.get_ssh_name(True) + ":" + target]
         return self._logged_exec(cmdline)
 
     def download_file(self, source, target, recursive=False):
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ def download_file(self, source, target, recursive=False):
         cmdline = ["scp"] + self.get_ssh_flags(True) + master.opts
         if recursive:
             cmdline += ['-r']
-        cmdline += ["root@" + self.get_ssh_name() + ":" + source, target]
+        cmdline += ["root@" + self.get_ssh_name(True) + ":" + source, target]
         return self._logged_exec(cmdline)
 
     def get_console_output(self):
diff --git a/nixops/backends/none.py b/nixops/backends/none.py
index 7222eb777..9be173f1d 100644
--- a/nixops/backends/none.py
+++ b/nixops/backends/none.py
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@ def switch_to_configuration(self, method, sync, command=None):
             self._ssh_public_key_deployed = True
         return res
 
-    def get_ssh_name(self):
+    def get_ssh_name(self, scp=False):
         assert self.target_host
+        if scp and (":" in self.target_host):
+            return "[%s]" % (self.target_host)
         return self.target_host
 
     def get_ssh_private_key_file(self):