diff --git a/examples/ansible.cfg b/examples/ansible.cfg
index 1fb54b6213e..57e721a77be 100644
--- a/examples/ansible.cfg
+++ b/examples/ansible.cfg
@@ -108,6 +108,17 @@ filter_plugins     = /usr/share/ansible_plugins/filter_plugins
 # paramiko on older platforms rather than removing it
 #ssh_args = -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s
 
+# The path to use for the ControlPath sockets. This defaults to
+# "%(directory)s/ansible-ssh-%%h-%%p-%%r", however on some systems with
+# very long hostnames or very long path names (caused by long user names or 
+# deeply nested home directories) this can exceed the character limit on
+# file socket names (108 characters for most platforms). In that case, you 
+# may wish to shorten the string below.
+# 
+# Example: 
+# control_path = %(directory)s/%%h-%%r
+#control_path = %(directory)s/ansible-ssh-%%h-%%p-%%r
+
 # if True, make ansible use scp if the connection type is ssh 
 # (default is sftp)
 #scp_if_ssh = True
diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index 7441126514a..dadc87133ff 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def _get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default, boolean=True):
             return value
     if p is not None:
         try:
-            return p.get(section, key)
+            return p.get(section, key, raw=True)
         except:
             return default
     return default
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ DEFAULT_LOG_PATH               = shell_expand_path(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'log_
 ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR                = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocolor', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR', None, boolean=True)
 ANSIBLE_NOCOWS                 = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'nocows', 'ANSIBLE_NOCOWS', None, boolean=True)
 ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS               = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'ssh_args', 'ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS', None)
+ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH       = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'control_path', 'ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH', "%(directory)s/ansible-ssh-%%h-%%p-%%r")
 PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS      = get_config(p, 'paramiko_connection', 'record_host_keys', 'ANSIBLE_PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS', True, boolean=True)
 ZEROMQ_PORT                    = int(get_config(p, 'fireball_connection', 'zeromq_port', 'ANSIBLE_ZEROMQ_PORT', 5099))
 ACCELERATE_PORT                = int(get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_port', 'ACCELERATE_PORT', 5099))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
index 02d47e0b1ec..649429c3c99 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class Connection(object):
         else:
             self.common_args += ["-o", "ControlMaster=auto",
                                  "-o", "ControlPersist=60s",
-                                 "-o", "ControlPath=%s/ansible-ssh-%%h-%%p-%%r" % self.cp_dir]
+                                 "-o", "ControlPath=%s" % (C.ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH % dict(directory=self.cp_dir))]
 
         cp_in_use = False
         cp_path_set = False
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class Connection(object):
                 cp_path_set = True
 
         if cp_in_use and not cp_path_set:
-            self.common_args += ["-o", "ControlPath=%s/ansible-ssh-%%h-%%p-%%r" % self.cp_dir]
+            self.common_args += ["-o", "ControlPath=%s" % (C.ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH % dict(directory=self.cp_dir))]
 
         if not C.HOST_KEY_CHECKING:
             self.common_args += ["-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=no"]