diff --git a/handlers/borg.in b/handlers/borg.in
index 9150d4eaf1226b6de9f7dcb881dd0712df2eab44..df500a80bacb6daf26c61625d01eca6d558e27db 100644
--- a/handlers/borg.in
+++ b/handlers/borg.in
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export BORG_PASSPHRASE="$passphrase"
 # destination specific checks
 [ "$directory" != "" ] || fatal "Destination directory not set"
 if [ "$host" != "localhost" ]; then
-  execstr_repository="$user@$host:$directory"
+  execstr_repository="ssh://${user}@${host}${directory}"
 else
   execstr_repository="$directory"
 fi