diff --git a/connections.py b/connections.py
index 1e364b9..67edb91 100644
--- a/connections.py
+++ b/connections.py
@@ -115,8 +115,15 @@ def get_connection_to_mysql(
     :param connection_config: specifies host, port, etc.
     :return: the connection object
     """
+    if connection_config["ssh_tunneling"]["use_tunnel"]:
+        open_ssh_tunnel(connection_config)
+        mysql_connection_host = "127.0.0.1"
+
+    if not connection_config["ssh_tunneling"]["use_tunnel"]:
+        mysql_connection_host = connection_config["host"]
+
     connection = mysql.connector.connect(
-        host=connection_config["host"],
+        host=mysql_connection_host,
         port=connection_config["port"],
         user=connection_config["user"],
         password=connection_config["password"],