diff --git a/connections.py b/connections.py
index 67edb91..a74df0d 100644
--- a/connections.py
+++ b/connections.py
@@ -21,15 +21,22 @@ def singleton(class_):
 @singleton
 class MySSHTunnel:
     def __init__(
-        self, ssh_host, ssh_port, ssh_username, ssh_pkey, remote_host, remote_port
+        self,
+        ssh_host,
+        ssh_port,
+        ssh_username,
+        ssh_pkey,
+        remote_host,
+        remote_port,
+        ssh_private_key_password=None,
     ):
-
         self.tunnel = SSHTunnelForwarder(
             ssh_host=(ssh_host, ssh_port),
             ssh_username=ssh_username,
             ssh_pkey=ssh_pkey,
             remote_bind_address=(remote_host, remote_port),
             local_bind_address=("127.0.0.1", remote_port),
+            ssh_private_key_password=ssh_private_key_password,
         )
 
     def start(self):
@@ -115,12 +122,13 @@ def get_connection_to_mysql(
     :param connection_config: specifies host, port, etc.
     :return: the connection object
     """
-    if connection_config["ssh_tunneling"]["use_tunnel"]:
+    mysql_connection_host = connection_config["host"]
+
+    if connection_config.get("ssh_tunneling", {}).get("use_tunnel", None):
         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"]
+        # If we open an SSH tunnel, we reference the local bind instead of the
+        # actual host
 
     connection = mysql.connector.connect(
         host=mysql_connection_host,
@@ -162,6 +170,10 @@ def open_ssh_tunnel(connection_config: dict) -> None:
         ssh_pkey=connection_config["ssh_tunneling"]["path_to_key"],
         remote_host=connection_config["host"],
         remote_port=connection_config["port"],
+        ssh_private_key_password=connection_config["ssh_tunneling"].get(
+            "ssh_private_key_password",
+            None,  # Since password is optional, we need a safe default
+        ),
     ).start()
     print("SSH tunnel is now open.")