diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index e739a4eae98c50c746c36fc23d233a7e966f19fc..dac5ab50686dae60d9809f2e224e08eebdc9e6c0 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ Before installing, please verify that you have the following programs:
   <http://starship.python.net/crew/theller/ctypes/>`_, if running on
   python 2.4 (optional, used for node daemon memory locking)
 - `socat <http://www.dest-unreach.org/socat/>`_
+- `Paramiko <http://www.lag.net/paramiko/>`_, if you want automated SSH
+  setup; optional otherwise but manual setup of the nodes required
 
 These programs are supplied as part of most Linux distributions, so
 usually they can be installed via the standard package manager. Also
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 25ecd11b2a657364aca9ab28354690689e1e7be9..1f1a89f6ca8c193e8662f857bee4a47488c55c74 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -317,6 +317,13 @@ AC_PYTHON_MODULE(pyparsing, t)
 AC_PYTHON_MODULE(pyinotify, t)
 AC_PYTHON_MODULE(pycurl, t)
 
+# This is optional but then we've limited functionality
+AC_PYTHON_MODULE(paramiko)
+if test "$HAVE_PYMOD_PARAMIKO" = "no"; then
+  AC_MSG_WARN([You do not have paramiko installed. While this is optional you
+               have to setup SSH and noded on the joining nodes yourself.])
+fi
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([ Makefile ])
 
 AC_OUTPUT