diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
index d4e9c5cfd7ce25..57494a9d0dd7dc 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ def _bare_run(self, cmd, in_data, sudoable=True, checkrc=True):
         # only when using ssh. Otherwise we can send initial data straightaway.
 
         state = states.index('ready_to_send')
-        if b'ssh' in cmd and sudoable:
+        if to_bytes(self.get_option('ssh_executable')) in cmd and sudoable:
             if self._play_context.prompt:
                 # We're requesting escalation with a password, so we have to
                 # wait for a password prompt.