diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index 28038da3634..26d4bbb4b8b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ DEFAULT_SUDO_USER         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'sudo_user',        'ANSIBLE
 DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ask_sudo_pass',    'ANSIBLE_ASK_SUDO_PASS',    False)
 DEFAULT_REMOTE_PORT       = int(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_port',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT',      22))
 DEFAULT_TRANSPORT         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'transport',        'ANSIBLE_TRANSPORT',        'paramiko')
-DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH        = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'scp_if_ssh',       'ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH',       False)
+DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH        = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'scp_if_ssh',       'ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH',       False)
 DEFAULT_MANAGED_STR       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ansible_managed',  None,           'Ansible managed: {file} modified on %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S by {uid} on {host}')
 DEFAULT_SYSLOG_FACILITY   = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'syslog_facility',  'ANSIBLE_SYSLOG_FACILITY', 'LOG_USER')