diff --git a/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/Jamfile b/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/Jamfile
index f43cc095c2..4e4c1c0840 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/Jamfile
+++ b/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/Jamfile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 SubDir HAIKU_TOP src add-ons network_settings sshd ;
 
 UsePublicHeaders [ FDirName add-ons network_settings ] ;
-UsePrivateHeaders shared ;
+UsePrivateHeaders app libroot kernel net shared ;
 
 Addon SSHService :
 	SSHServiceAddOn.cpp
diff --git a/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/SSHServiceAddOn.cpp b/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/SSHServiceAddOn.cpp
index f2efaaf785..3b7030424e 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/SSHServiceAddOn.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/network_settings/sshd/SSHServiceAddOn.cpp
@@ -4,17 +4,26 @@
  *
  * Authors:
  *		Axel Dörfler, <axeld@pinc-software.de>
+ *		Ingo Weinhold <ingo_weinhold@gmx.de>
  */
 
 
+#include <pwd.h>
+
 #include <Button.h>
 #include <Catalog.h>
 #include <LayoutBuilder.h>
+#include <NetworkSettings.h>
 #include <NetworkSettingsAddOn.h>
 #include <StringItem.h>
 #include <StringView.h>
 #include <TextView.h>
 
+#include <NetServer.h>
+#include <RegistrarDefs.h>
+#include <user_group.h>
+#include <util/KMessage.h>
+
 
 using namespace BNetworkKit;
 
@@ -50,9 +59,11 @@ private:
 			bool				_IsEnabled() const;
 			void				_Enable();
 			void				_Disable();
+			void				_UpdateEnableButton();
 
 private:
 			BNetworkSettings&	fSettings;
+			BButton*			fEnableButton;
 };
 
 
@@ -99,7 +110,7 @@ ServiceView::ServiceView(BNetworkSettings& settings)
 	descriptionView->SetViewColor(ui_color(B_PANEL_BACKGROUND_COLOR));
 	descriptionView->MakeEditable(false);
 
-	BButton* button = new BButton("toggler", B_TRANSLATE("Enable"),
+	fEnableButton = new BButton("toggler", B_TRANSLATE("Enable"),
 		new BMessage(kMsgToggleService));
 
 	BLayoutBuilder::Group<>(this, B_VERTICAL)
@@ -107,9 +118,10 @@ ServiceView::ServiceView(BNetworkSettings& settings)
 		.Add(descriptionView)
 		.AddGroup(B_HORIZONTAL)
 			.AddGlue()
-			.Add(button);
+			.Add(fEnableButton);
 
 	SetExplicitMinSize(BSize(200, B_SIZE_UNSET));
+	_UpdateEnableButton();
 }
 
 
@@ -121,6 +133,7 @@ ServiceView::~ServiceView()
 void
 ServiceView::ConfigurationUpdated(const BMessage& message)
 {
+	_UpdateEnableButton();
 }
 
 
@@ -133,6 +146,8 @@ ServiceView::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 				_Disable();
 			else
 				_Enable();
+
+			_UpdateEnableButton();
 			break;
 		default:
 			BView::MessageReceived(message);
@@ -144,14 +159,72 @@ ServiceView::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 bool
 ServiceView::_IsEnabled() const
 {
-	BNetworkServiceSettings settings = fSettings.Service("ssh");
-	return settings.IsEnabled();
+	BMessage request(kMsgIsServiceRunning);
+	request.AddString("name", "ssh");
+
+	BMessenger networkServer(kNetServerSignature);
+	BMessage reply;
+	status_t status = networkServer.SendMessage(&request, &reply);
+	if (status == B_OK)
+		return reply.GetBool("running");
+
+	return false;
 }
 
 
 void
 ServiceView::_Enable()
 {
+	if (getpwnam("sshd") == NULL) {
+		// We need to create a dedicated user for the service
+		// The following code is copied from useradd, and should be moved
+		// to a public class.
+		gid_t groupID = 100;
+
+		// Find an unused user ID
+		uid_t userID = 1000;
+		while (getpwuid(userID) != NULL)
+			userID++;
+
+		const char* home = "/boot/home";
+		int expiration = 99999;
+		int inactive = -1;
+		const char* shell = "/bin/sh";
+		const char* realName = "";
+
+		int min = -1;
+		int max = -1;
+		int warn = 7;
+
+		// prepare request for the registrar
+		KMessage message(BPrivate::B_REG_UPDATE_USER);
+		if (message.AddInt32("uid", userID) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("gid", groupID) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("name", "sshd") == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("password", "x") == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("home", home) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("shell", shell) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("real name", realName) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddString("shadow password", "!") == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("last changed", time(NULL)) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("min", min) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("max", max) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("warn", warn) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("inactive", inactive) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("expiration", expiration) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddInt32("flags", 0) == B_OK
+			&& message.AddBool("add user", true) == B_OK) {
+			// send the request
+			KMessage reply;
+			status_t error = send_authentication_request_to_registrar(message,
+				reply);
+			if (error != B_OK) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Error: Failed to create user: %s\n",
+					strerror(error));
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	BNetworkServiceSettings settings;
 	settings.SetName("ssh");
 	settings.SetStandAlone(true);
@@ -168,10 +241,19 @@ ServiceView::_Enable()
 void
 ServiceView::_Disable()
 {
+	// Since the sshd user may have been customized, we don't remove it
 	fSettings.RemoveService("ssh");
 }
 
 
+void
+ServiceView::_UpdateEnableButton()
+{
+	fEnableButton->SetLabel(_IsEnabled()
+		? B_TRANSLATE("Disable") : B_TRANSLATE("Enable"));
+}
+
+
 // #pragma mark -