diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ssh_port_default_fix.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ssh_port_default_fix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1d45e60d2a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ssh_port_default_fix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - Remove 'default' from ssh plugin as we want to rely on default from ssh itself or ssh/config.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
index 0af9ac73d72..02d776e14b7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/ssh.py
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ DOCUMENTATION = '''
     extends_documentation_fragment:
         - connection_pipelining
     version_added: historical
+    notes:
+        - Many options default to 'None' here but that only means we don't override the ssh tool's defaults and/or configuration.
+          For example, if you specify the port in this plugin it will override any C(Port) entry in your C(.ssh/config).
     options:
       host:
           description: Hostname/ip to connect to.
@@ -181,7 +184,6 @@ DOCUMENTATION = '''
       port:
           description: Remote port to connect to.
           type: int
-          default: 22
           ini:
             - section: defaults
               key: remote_port
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/check_ssh_defaults.yml b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/check_ssh_defaults.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..937f1f7d44c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/check_ssh_defaults.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+- hosts: ssh
+  gather_facts: false
+  vars:
+    ansible_connection: ssh
+    ansible_ssh_timeout: 10
+  tasks:
+    - name: contain the maddness
+      block:
+        - name: test all is good
+          ping:
+
+        - name: start the fun
+          meta: reset_connection
+
+        - name: now test we can use wrong port from ssh/config
+          ping:
+          ignore_unreachable: True
+          vars:
+            ansible_ssh_args: "-F {{playbook_dir}}/files/port_overrride_ssh.cfg"
+          register: expected
+
+        - name: check all is as expected
+          assert:
+            that:
+              - expected['unreachable']|bool
+              - "'2222' in expected['msg']"
+      always:
+        - name: make sure we don't cache the bad connection
+          meta: reset_connection
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/files/port_overrride_ssh.cfg b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/files/port_overrride_ssh.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7f8422ec7ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/files/port_overrride_ssh.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Host *
+	Port 2222
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/runme.sh b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/runme.sh
index 32dbdd937b6..7e5953edac8 100755
--- a/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/runme.sh
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_ssh/runme.sh
@@ -65,3 +65,6 @@ fi
 ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH=true ./posix.sh "$@" "${scp_args[@]}"
 # piped
 ANSIBLE_SSH_TRANSFER_METHOD=piped ./posix.sh "$@"
+
+# test config defaults override
+ansible-playbook check_ssh_defaults.yml "$@" -i test_connection.inventory