diff --git a/releng.control/commonVariations.shsource b/releng.control/commonVariations.shsource
index 8e02f35..7d4a777 100644
--- a/releng.control/commonVariations.shsource
+++ b/releng.control/commonVariations.shsource
@@ -121,3 +121,5 @@
 # TODO we need to work into cc_config as well ... so signing is 
 # always skipped for 2.0 based builds. 
 export SKIP_JAR_SIGNING=true
+
+export REMOTE_SSH_COMMAND="ssh david_williams@build.eclipse.org "
diff --git a/releng.control/promote.sh b/releng.control/promote.sh
index 48596b2..dc4fa7f 100755
--- a/releng.control/promote.sh
+++ b/releng.control/promote.sh
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
     
     until [ $exitCode == 0 ]
     do 	
-     ssh david_williams@build.eclipse.org rsync -${rsyncArgs} ${FROMDIR} ${TODIR}
+     ${REMOTE_SSH_COMMAND} rsync -${rsyncArgs} ${FROMDIR} ${TODIR}
      exitCode=$?
      if [ $exitCode != 0 ]
      then
@@ -183,8 +183,8 @@
     toString="webtools/downloads"
     replaceCommand="s!${fromString}!${toString}!g"
 
-    # TODIR already has a slash
-    ssh david_williams@build.eclipse.org perl -w -pi -e ${replaceCommand} ${TODIR}${dropDirName}/*.php
+    # remember TODIR already has a slash
+    ${REMOTE_SSH_COMMAND} perl -w -pi -e ${replaceCommand} ${TODIR}${dropDirName}/*.php
 
     #       update the update site
     #cp -ruv $HOME/downloads/webtools/committers/drops/$1/updateSite/features/   $HOME/downloads/webtools/milestones/
diff --git a/releng.control/somePathDirectory/commonVariations.shsource b/releng.control/somePathDirectory/commonVariations.shsource
index 3d8ffa6..2add8dc 100644
--- a/releng.control/somePathDirectory/commonVariations.shsource
+++ b/releng.control/somePathDirectory/commonVariations.shsource
@@ -115,3 +115,6 @@
 export SKIPUSERS=true
 
 export DOWNLOAD_ROOT=/var/www/html/buildhome/
+
+# normally not required. Only required if build machine or user, and download machine or user are not the same
+export REMOTE_SSH_COMMAND=""