diff --git a/extensions/github/package.json b/extensions/github/package.json
index f86f98683af..af7b544f596 100644
--- a/extensions/github/package.json
+++ b/extensions/github/package.json
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@
             "scope": "resource",
             "default": true,
             "description": "%config.gitAuthentication%"
+          },
+          "github.gitProtocol": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "enum": [
+              "https",
+              "ssh"
+            ],
+            "default": "https",
+            "description": "%config.gitProtocol%"
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/extensions/github/package.nls.json b/extensions/github/package.nls.json
index 472c5ab7e4c..ebebab0e0e2 100644
--- a/extensions/github/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/github/package.nls.json
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 	"displayName": "GitHub",
 	"description": "GitHub features for VS Code",
 	"config.gitAuthentication": "Controls whether to enable automatic GitHub authentication for git commands within VS Code.",
+	"config.gitProtocol": "Controls which protocol is used to clone a GitHub repository",
 	"welcome.publishFolder": "You can also directly publish this folder to a GitHub repository. Once published, you'll have access to source control features powered by git and GitHub.\n[$(github) Publish to GitHub](command:github.publish)",
 	"welcome.publishWorkspaceFolder": "You can also directly publish a workspace folder to a GitHub repository. Once published, you'll have access to source control features powered by git and GitHub.\n[$(github) Publish to GitHub](command:github.publish)"
 }
diff --git a/extensions/github/src/auth.ts b/extensions/github/src/auth.ts
index a0a0244255a..af91374e91f 100644
--- a/extensions/github/src/auth.ts
+++ b/extensions/github/src/auth.ts
@@ -53,4 +53,3 @@ export function getOctokit(): Promise<Octokit> {
 
 	return _octokit;
 }
-
diff --git a/extensions/github/src/publish.ts b/extensions/github/src/publish.ts
index 0954e2c67ff..fe8a31bbc67 100644
--- a/extensions/github/src/publish.ts
+++ b/extensions/github/src/publish.ts
@@ -197,7 +197,9 @@ export async function publishRepository(gitAPI: GitAPI, repository?: Repository)
 		progress.report({ message: localize('publishing_uploading', "Uploading files"), increment: 25 });
 
 		const branch = await repository.getBranch('HEAD');
-		await repository.addRemote('origin', createdGithubRepository.clone_url);
+		const protocol = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('github').get<'https' | 'ssh'>('gitProtocol');
+		const remoteUrl = protocol === 'https' ? createdGithubRepository.clone_url : createdGithubRepository.ssh_url;
+		await repository.addRemote('origin', remoteUrl);
 		await repository.push('origin', branch.name, true);
 
 		return createdGithubRepository;
diff --git a/extensions/github/src/pushErrorHandler.ts b/extensions/github/src/pushErrorHandler.ts
index 5948c526ea1..9e8af7dbcc9 100644
--- a/extensions/github/src/pushErrorHandler.ts
+++ b/extensions/github/src/pushErrorHandler.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ async function handlePushError(repository: Repository, remote: Remote, refspec:
 		await repository.renameRemote(remote.name, 'upstream');
 
 		// Issue: what if there's already another `origin` repo?
-		await repository.addRemote('origin', ghRepository.clone_url);
+		const protocol = workspace.getConfiguration('github').get<'https' | 'ssh'>('gitProtocol');
+		const remoteUrl = protocol === 'https' ? ghRepository.clone_url : ghRepository.ssh_url;
+		await repository.addRemote('origin', remoteUrl);
 
 		try {
 			await repository.fetch('origin', remoteName);
diff --git a/extensions/github/src/remoteSourceProvider.ts b/extensions/github/src/remoteSourceProvider.ts
index 7f3f9ae41eb..6e0b5fadbf7 100644
--- a/extensions/github/src/remoteSourceProvider.ts
+++ b/extensions/github/src/remoteSourceProvider.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+import { workspace } from 'vscode';
 import { RemoteSourceProvider, RemoteSource } from './typings/git-base';
 import { getOctokit } from './auth';
 import { Octokit } from '@octokit/rest';
@@ -14,10 +15,11 @@ function parse(url: string): { owner: string; repo: string } | undefined {
 }
 
 function asRemoteSource(raw: any): RemoteSource {
+	const protocol = workspace.getConfiguration('github').get<'https' | 'ssh'>('gitProtocol');
 	return {
 		name: `$(github) ${raw.full_name}`,
 		description: raw.description || undefined,
-		url: raw.clone_url
+		url: protocol === 'https' ? raw.clone_url : raw.ssh_url
 	};
 }