diff --git a/flypg/cmd.go b/flypg/cmd.go
index 5f69c346b8..96952dac6f 100644
--- a/flypg/cmd.go
+++ b/flypg/cmd.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (pc *Command) UpdateSettings(ctx context.Context, leaderIp string, config m
 	subCmd := fmt.Sprintf("update --patch '%s'", string(configBytes))
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("stolonctl-run %s", encodeCommand(subCmd))
 
-	resp, err := ssh.RunSSHCommand(ctx, pc.app, pc.dialer, leaderIp, cmd, "root")
+	resp, err := ssh.RunSSHCommand(ctx, pc.app, pc.dialer, leaderIp, cmd, ssh.DefaultSshUsername)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (pc *Command) UnregisterMember(ctx context.Context, leaderIP string, standb
 	payload := encodeCommand(standbyIP)
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("pg_unregister %s", payload)
 
-	resp, err := ssh.RunSSHCommand(ctx, pc.app, pc.dialer, leaderIP, cmd, "root")
+	resp, err := ssh.RunSSHCommand(ctx, pc.app, pc.dialer, leaderIP, cmd, ssh.DefaultSshUsername)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/command/postgres/connect.go b/internal/command/postgres/connect.go
index 88b1620e82..502e26d3c1 100644
--- a/internal/command/postgres/connect.go
+++ b/internal/command/postgres/connect.go
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/superfly/flyctl/internal/flag"
 )
 
-const defaultSshUsername = "root"
-
 func newConnect() *cobra.Command {
 	const (
 		short = "Connect to the Postgres console"
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ func runMachineConnect(ctx context.Context, app *api.AppCompact) error {
 		Org:      app.Organization,
 		Dialer:   agent.DialerFromContext(ctx),
 		App:      app.Name,
-		Username: defaultSshUsername,
+		Username: ssh.DefaultSshUsername,
 		Cmd:      fmt.Sprintf("connect %s %s %s", database, user, password),
 		Stdin:    os.Stdin,
 		Stdout:   ioutils.NewWriteCloserWrapper(colorable.NewColorableStdout(), func() error { return nil }),
@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@ func runNomadConnect(ctx context.Context, app *api.AppCompact) error {
 		Org:      app.Organization,
 		Dialer:   agent.DialerFromContext(ctx),
 		App:      app.Name,
-		Username: defaultSshUsername,
+		Username: ssh.DefaultSshUsername,
 		Cmd:      fmt.Sprintf("connect %s %s %s", database, user, password),
 		Stdin:    os.Stdin,
 		Stdout:   ioutils.NewWriteCloserWrapper(colorable.NewColorableStdout(), func() error { return nil }),
diff --git a/internal/command/ssh/console.go b/internal/command/ssh/console.go
index e02fb1ab33..409f8211d3 100644
--- a/internal/command/ssh/console.go
+++ b/internal/command/ssh/console.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func stdArgsSSH(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 			Name:        "user",
 			Shorthand:   "u",
 			Description: "Unix username to connect as",
-			Default:     defaultSshUsername,
+			Default:     DefaultSshUsername,
 		},
 	)
 }
diff --git a/internal/command/ssh/issue.go b/internal/command/ssh/issue.go
index a225e1f589..b7ef821a76 100644
--- a/internal/command/ssh/issue.go
+++ b/internal/command/ssh/issue.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ validity.`
 			Name:        "username",
 			Shorthand:   "u",
 			Description: "Unix usernames the SSH cert can authenticate as",
-			Default:     []string{defaultSshUsername, "fly"},
+			Default:     []string{DefaultSshUsername, "fly"},
 		},
 		flag.Int{
 			Name:        "hours",
diff --git a/internal/command/ssh/sftp.go b/internal/command/ssh/sftp.go
index 2e8dd1cb8e..29181e62ca 100644
--- a/internal/command/ssh/sftp.go
+++ b/internal/command/ssh/sftp.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func newSFTPConnection(ctx context.Context) (*sftp.Client, error) {
 		Org:            app.Organization,
 		Dialer:         dialer,
 		App:            appName,
-		Username:       defaultSshUsername,
+		Username:       DefaultSshUsername,
 		Stdin:          os.Stdin,
 		Stdout:         os.Stdout,
 		Stderr:         os.Stderr,
diff --git a/internal/command/ssh/ssh_terminal.go b/internal/command/ssh/ssh_terminal.go
index 1fd0bee62a..38c1fc97a0 100644
--- a/internal/command/ssh/ssh_terminal.go
+++ b/internal/command/ssh/ssh_terminal.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func spin(in, out string) context.CancelFunc {
 	return cancel
 }
 
-const defaultSshUsername = "root"
+const DefaultSshUsername = "root"
 
 type SSHParams struct {
 	Ctx            context.Context
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func singleUseSSHCertificate(ctx context.Context, org api.OrganizationImpl) (*ap
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	icert, err := client.IssueSSHCertificate(ctx, org, []string{defaultSshUsername, "fly"}, nil, &hours, pub)
+	icert, err := client.IssueSSHCertificate(ctx, org, []string{DefaultSshUsername, "fly"}, nil, &hours, pub)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}