diff --git a/scripts/deploy-vserver.sh b/scripts/deploy-vserver.sh
index dc8f4be..624c177 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy-vserver.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy-vserver.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,18 @@ set -euo pipefail
 script_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 repo_root="$(cd "$script_dir/.." && pwd)"
 
+ssh_control_path=""
+cleanup() {
+    local exit_code=$?
+
+    if [[ -n "$ssh_control_path" ]] && ssh -o ControlPath="$ssh_control_path" -O exit "$REMOTE_HOST" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        :
+    fi
+
+    exit "$exit_code"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
 if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
     echo "Usage: $0 [deploy-config-file]" >&2
     exit 1
@@ -43,6 +55,7 @@ dockerfile_path="$repo_root/deploy/vserver.Dockerfile"
 project_path="$repo_root/src/RolemasterDb.App/RolemasterDb.App.csproj"
 remote_release_dir="$REMOTE_APP_DIR/releases/$release_id"
 remote_tarball_path="$remote_release_dir/release.tar.gz"
+ssh_control_path="/tmp/rolemasterdb-deploy-${USER:-$(id -un)}-$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)-$$.sock"
 
 if [[ ! -f "$seed_db_path" ]]; then
     echo "Seed database not found: $seed_db_path" >&2
@@ -56,6 +69,14 @@ fi
 
 mkdir -p "$artifact_root"
 
+echo "Opening shared SSH connection to $REMOTE_HOST..."
+ssh \
+    -o ControlMaster=yes \
+    -o ControlPersist=10m \
+    -o ControlPath="$ssh_control_path" \
+    -Nf \
+    "$REMOTE_HOST"
+
 echo "Publishing RolemasterDb.App..."
 rm -rf "$publish_dir"
 mkdir -p \
@@ -73,7 +94,9 @@ cp "$dockerfile_path" "$stage_dir/Dockerfile"
 tar -C "$stage_dir" -czf "$tarball_path" .
 
 echo "Creating remote release directory..."
-ssh "$REMOTE_HOST" bash -s -- "$remote_release_dir" "$REMOTE_DATA_DIR" <<'EOF'
+ssh \
+    -o ControlPath="$ssh_control_path" \
+    "$REMOTE_HOST" bash -s -- "$remote_release_dir" "$REMOTE_DATA_DIR" <<'EOF'
 set -euo pipefail
 release_dir="$1"
 data_dir="$2"
@@ -81,10 +104,15 @@ mkdir -p "$release_dir" "$data_dir"
 EOF
 
 echo "Uploading bundle to $REMOTE_HOST..."
-scp "$tarball_path" "$REMOTE_HOST:$remote_tarball_path"
+scp \
+    -o ControlPath="$ssh_control_path" \
+    "$tarball_path" "$REMOTE_HOST:$remote_tarball_path"
 
 echo "Building image and restarting container on $REMOTE_HOST..."
-ssh "$REMOTE_HOST" bash -s -- \
+remote_env_file_escaped="$(printf '%q' "$REMOTE_ENV_FILE")"
+ssh \
+    -o ControlPath="$ssh_control_path" \
+    "$REMOTE_HOST" bash -s -- \
     "$release_id" \
     "$REMOTE_APP_DIR" \
     "$REMOTE_DATA_DIR" \
@@ -93,8 +121,7 @@ ssh "$REMOTE_HOST" bash -s -- \
     "$HOST_BIND_ADDRESS" \
     "$HOST_PORT" \
     "$CONTAINER_PORT" \
-    "$REMOTE_USE_SUDO" \
-    "$REMOTE_ENV_FILE" <<'EOF'
+    "$REMOTE_USE_SUDO" <<EOF
 set -euo pipefail
 
 release_id="$1"
@@ -106,7 +133,7 @@ host_bind_address="$6"
 host_port="$7"
 container_port="$8"
 remote_use_sudo="$9"
-remote_env_file="${10}"
+remote_env_file=$remote_env_file_escaped
 
 release_dir="$remote_app_dir/releases/$release_id"
 tarball_path="$release_dir/release.tar.gz"