diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/connection.py b/ansible_mitogen/connection.py
index 254a4286..fe07f44f 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/connection.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/connection.py
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ CONNECTION_METHOD = {
     'machinectl': _connect_machinectl,
     'setns': _connect_setns,
     'ssh': _connect_ssh,
+    'smart': _connect_ssh,  # issue #548.
     'su': _connect_su,
     'sudo': _connect_sudo,
     'doas': _connect_doas,
diff --git a/tests/ansible/hosts/transport_config.hosts b/tests/ansible/hosts/transport_config.hosts
index d68b2d84..856c6a0f 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/hosts/transport_config.hosts
+++ b/tests/ansible/hosts/transport_config.hosts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # tansport()
 tc-transport-unset
 tc-transport-local ansible_connection=local
+tc-transport-smart ansible_connection=smart
 
 # python_path()
 tc-python-path-unset
diff --git a/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/all.yml b/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/all.yml
index 64199314..d4ed832f 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/all.yml
+++ b/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/all.yml
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@
 - include: remote_addr.yml
 - include: remote_user.yml
 - include: transport.yml
+- include: transport__smart.yml
diff --git a/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/transport__smart.yml b/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/transport__smart.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a4c1959f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ansible/integration/transport_config/transport__smart.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# issue #548
+# Each case is followed by mitogen_via= case to test hostvars method.
+
+
+# When no ansible_connection= is set, transport comes via ansible.cfg ("smart"
+# is parsed away to either paramiko or ssh).
+- name: integration/transport_config/transport.yml
+  hosts: tc-transport-smart
+  tasks:
+  - include: ../_mitogen_only.yml
+  - {mitogen_get_stack: {}, register: out}
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[0].method
+      right: "ssh"
+
+- hosts: tc-transport-local
+  vars: {mitogen_via: tc-transport-smart}
+  tasks:
+  - include: ../_mitogen_only.yml
+  - {mitogen_get_stack: {}, register: out}
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[0].method
+      right: "ssh"
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[1].method
+      right: "local"
+
+
+# ansible_connection=local
+
+- hosts: tc-transport-local
+  tasks:
+  - include: ../_mitogen_only.yml
+  - {mitogen_get_stack: {}, register: out}
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[0].method
+      right: "local"
+
+- hosts: tc-transport-smart
+  vars: {mitogen_via: tc-transport-local}
+  tasks:
+  - include: ../_mitogen_only.yml
+  - {mitogen_get_stack: {}, register: out}
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[0].method
+      right: "local"
+  - assert_equal:
+      left: out.result[1].method
+      right: "ssh"