diff --git a/manifests/swh/deploy/scheduler_updater_consumer.pp b/manifests/swh/deploy/scheduler_updater_consumer.pp
index 97e8ba0f..8a5db6f5 100644
--- a/manifests/swh/deploy/scheduler_updater_consumer.pp
+++ b/manifests/swh/deploy/scheduler_updater_consumer.pp
@@ -1,68 +1,74 @@
 # Deployment of swh-scheduler-updater related utilities
 class profile::swh::deploy::scheduler_updater_consumer {
   include ::profile::swh::deploy::scheduler_updater
 
   # only ghtorrent so far
   $consumer_conf_dir = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::ghtorrent::conf_dir')
   $consumer_conf_file = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::ghtorrent::conf_file')
   $consumer_user = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::user')
   $consumer_group = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::group')
 
+  $packages = ['autossh']
+  package {$packages:
+    ensure => present,
+  }
+
 #  file {$consumer_conf_dir:
 #    ensure => directory,
 #    owner  => 'root',
 #    group  => $consumer_group,
 #    mode   => '0755',
 #  }
 
   $consumer_config = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::ghtorrent::config')
   file {$consumer_conf_file:
     ensure  => present,
     owner   => 'root',
     group   => $consumer_group,
     mode    => '0640',
     content => inline_template("<%= @consumer_config.to_yaml %>\n"),
   }
 
   # service needed to forward port locally
 
   $local_port = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::ghtorrent::port')
   $ghtorrent_private_key_raw = lookup('swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer::ghtorrent::private_key')
   $ghtorrent_private_key = "/home/${consumer_user}/.ssh/id-rsa-swh-ghtorrent"
 
   # write private key to access the ghtorrent infra
   file {$ghtorrent_private_key:
     ensure  => present,
     owner   => $consumer_user,
     group   => $consumer_group,
     mode    => '0600',
     content => inline_template("<%= @ghtorrent_private_key_raw %>"),
   }
 
   $ghtorrent_service_name = 'ssh-ghtorrent'
   $ghtorrent_unit_name = "${ghtorrent_service_name}.service"
   # Service to open up the ghtorrent connection infra (no consumption)
   ::systemd::unit_file {$ghtorrent_unit_name:
     ensure  => present,
     content => template("profile/swh/deploy/scheduler/${ghtorrent_unit_name}.erb"),
+    require => Package[$packages],
   } ~> service {$ghtorrent_service_name:
     ensure  => running,
     enable  => true,
     require => File[$ghtorrent_private_key],
   }
 
   # actual service consuming from ghtorrent
 
   $ghtorrent_consumer_service = 'swh-scheduler-updater-consumer-ghtorrent'
   $ghtorrent_consumer_unit_name = "${ghtorrent_consumer_service}.service"
   # Service to consume from ghtorrent
   ::systemd::unit_file {$ghtorrent_consumer_unit_name:
     ensure  => present,
     content => template("profile/swh/deploy/scheduler/${ghtorrent_consumer_unit_name}.erb"),
   } ~> service {$ghtorrent_consumer_service:
     ensure  => stopped,
     enable  => true,
     require => Service[$ghtorrent_service_name],
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/templates/swh/deploy/scheduler/ssh-ghtorrent.service.erb b/templates/swh/deploy/scheduler/ssh-ghtorrent.service.erb
index 915fcec3..90e54818 100644
--- a/templates/swh/deploy/scheduler/ssh-ghtorrent.service.erb
+++ b/templates/swh/deploy/scheduler/ssh-ghtorrent.service.erb
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 # SSH Ghtorrent unit file
 # Managed by puppet class profile::swh::deploy::scheduler::updater::consumer
 # Changes will be overwritten
 
 [Unit]
 Description=SSH connection to GHTorrent infra
 Requires=network-online.target
 After=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 User=<%= @consumer_user %>
 Group=<%= @consumer_group %>
 Type=simple
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/ssh -i <%= @ghtorrent_private_key %> -L <%= @local_port %>:streamer.ghtorrent.org:5672 ghtorrent@streamer.ghtorrent.org
+Environment="AUTOSSH_GATETIME=0"
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/autossh -M 0 -o "ServerAliveInterval 30" -o "ServerAliveCountMax 3" -i <%= @ghtorrent_private_key %> -NL <%= @local_port %>:streamer.ghtorrent.org:5672 ghtorrent@streamer.ghtorrent.org
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=10
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target