diff --git a/examples/ansible.cfg b/examples/ansible.cfg
index b6bc9146ebb..58e86d94e08 100644
--- a/examples/ansible.cfg
+++ b/examples/ansible.cfg
@@ -8,9 +8,23 @@
 
 hostfile = /etc/ansible/hosts
 
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 # location of ansible library, eliminates need to specify --module-path
 
 library = /usr/share/ansible
+=======
+hostfile       = /etc/ansible/hosts
+library        = /usr/share/ansible
+remote_tmp     = $HOME/.ansible/tmp
+pattern        = *
+forks          = 5
+poll_interval  = 15
+sudo_user      = root
+#ask_sudo_pass = True
+#ask_pass      = True
+transport      = smart
+remote_port    = 22
+>>>>>>> c55adc9... Default to 'smart' transport, which will use OpenSSH if it can support ControlPersist.
 
 # uncomment this to disable SSH key host checking
 #host_key_checking = False
diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index 8e525a620bb..88ee4949351 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ DEFAULT_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE  = shell_expand_path(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'private_k
 DEFAULT_SUDO_USER         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'sudo_user',        'ANSIBLE_SUDO_USER',        'root')
 DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ask_sudo_pass',    'ANSIBLE_ASK_SUDO_PASS',    False, boolean=True)
 DEFAULT_REMOTE_PORT       = int(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_port',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT',      22))
-DEFAULT_TRANSPORT         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'transport',        'ANSIBLE_TRANSPORT',        'paramiko')
+DEFAULT_TRANSPORT         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'transport',        'ANSIBLE_TRANSPORT',        'smart')
 DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH        = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'scp_if_ssh',       'ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH',       False, boolean=True)
 DEFAULT_MANAGED_STR       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ansible_managed',  None,           'Ansible managed: {file} modified on %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S by {uid} on {host}')
 DEFAULT_SYSLOG_FACILITY   = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'syslog_facility',  'ANSIBLE_SYSLOG_FACILITY', 'LOG_USER')
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 9b3a7497800..cdce311635f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import base64
 import sys
 import shlex
 import pipes
+import subprocess
 
 import ansible.constants as C
 import ansible.inventory
@@ -166,9 +167,19 @@ class Runner(object):
         self.is_playbook      = is_playbook
         self.environment      = environment
         self.complex_args     = complex_args
-
         self.callbacks.runner = self
 
+        # if the transport is 'smart' see if SSH can support ControlPersist if not use paramiko
+        # 'smart' is the default since 1.2.1/1.3
+        if self.transport == 'smart':
+            cmd = subprocess.Popen(['ssh','-o','ControlPersist'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            (out, err) = cmd.communicate() 
+            if "Bad configuration option" in err:
+                self.transport = "paramiko"
+            else:
+                self.transport = "ssh" 
+
+
         # misc housekeeping
         if subset and self.inventory._subset is None:
             # don't override subset when passed from playbook