diff --git a/aiida/transport/plugins/ssh.py b/aiida/transport/plugins/ssh.py
index a1e6c7f29f..80e578ff49 100644
--- a/aiida/transport/plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/aiida/transport/plugins/ssh.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def _convert_timeout_fromstring(cls, string):
     def _get_timeout_suggestion_string(cls, computer):
         """
         Return a suggestion for the specific field.
-        
+
         Provide 60s as a default timeout for connections.
         """
         config = parse_sshconfig(computer.hostname)
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ def _get_gss_host_suggestion_string(cls, computer):
     def __init__(self, machine, **kwargs):
         """
         Initialize the SshTransport class.
-        
+
         :param machine: the machine to connect to
         :param load_system_host_keys: (optional, default False)
            if False, do not load the system host keys
@@ -447,11 +447,11 @@ def __init__(self, machine, **kwargs):
     def open(self):
         """
         Open a SSHClient to the machine possibly using the parameters given
-        in the __init__. 
-        
+        in the __init__.
+
         Also opens a sftp channel, ready to be used.
         The current working directory is set explicitly, so it is not None.
-        
+
         :raise InvalidOperation: if the channel is already open
         """
         from aiida.common.exceptions import InvalidOperation
@@ -484,9 +484,9 @@ def open(self):
     def close(self):
         """
         Close the SFTP channel, and the SSHClient.
-        
+
         :todo: correctly manage exceptions
-        
+
         :raise InvalidOperation: if the channel is already open
         """
         from aiida.common.exceptions import InvalidOperation
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ def __str__(self):
     def chdir(self, path):
         """
         Change directory of the SFTP session. Emulated internally by
-        paramiko. 
+        paramiko.
 
         Differently from paramiko, if you pass None to chdir, nothing
         happens and the cwd is unchanged.
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ def get(self, remotepath, localpath, callback=None, dereference=True, overwrite=
         :param remotepath: a remote path
         :param localpath: an (absolute) local path
         :param dereference: follow symbolic links.
-            Default = True (default behaviour in paramiko). 
+            Default = True (default behaviour in paramiko).
             False is not implemented.
         :param overwrite: if True overwrites files and folders.
             Default = False
@@ -997,8 +997,8 @@ def gettree(self, remotepath, localpath, callback=None, dereference=True, overwr
 
         :param remotepath: a remote path
         :param localpath: an (absolute) local path
-        :param dereference: follow symbolic links. 
-            Default = True (default behaviour in paramiko). 
+        :param dereference: follow symbolic links.
+            Default = True (default behaviour in paramiko).
             False is not implemented.
         :param  overwrite: if True overwrites files and folders.
             Default = False
@@ -1061,8 +1061,8 @@ def copyfile(self, remotesource, remotedestination, dereference=False, pattern=N
         """
         Copy a file from remote source to remote destination
         Redirects to copy().
-        
-        :param remotesource: 
+
+        :param remotesource:
         :param remotedestination:
         :param dereference:
         :param pattern:
@@ -1263,10 +1263,10 @@ def _exec_command_internal(self, command, combine_stderr=False, bufsize=-1):
                 stderr on the same buffer (i.e., stdout).
                 Note: If combine_stderr is True, stderr will always be empty.
         :param bufsize: same meaning of the one used by paramiko.
-        
+
         :return: a tuple with (stdin, stdout, stderr, channel),
             where stdin, stdout and stderr behave as file-like objects,
-            plus the methods provided by paramiko, and channel is a 
+            plus the methods provided by paramiko, and channel is a
             paramiko.Channel object.
         """
         channel = self.sshclient.get_transport().open_session()
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ def _exec_command_internal(self, command, combine_stderr=False, bufsize=-1):
     def exec_command_wait(self, command, stdin=None, combine_stderr=False, bufsize=-1):
         """
         Executes the specified command and waits for it to finish.
-        
+
         :param command: the command to execute
         :param stdin: (optional,default=None) can be a string or a
                    file-like object.
@@ -1324,11 +1324,11 @@ def exec_command_wait(self, command, stdin=None, combine_stderr=False, bufsize=-
         ssh_stdin.flush()
         ssh_stdin.channel.shutdown_write()
 
-        output_text = stdout.read()
-
-        # I get the return code (blocking, but in principle I waited above)
+        # I get the return code (blocking)
         retval = channel.recv_exit_status()
 
+        # needs to be after 'recv_exit_status', otherwise it might hang
+        output_text = stdout.read()
         stderr_text = stderr.read()
 
         return retval, output_text, stderr_text
@@ -1367,10 +1367,10 @@ def gotocomputer_command(self, remotedir):
 
     def symlink(self, remotesource, remotedestination):
         """
-        Create a symbolic link between the remote source and the remote 
+        Create a symbolic link between the remote source and the remote
         destination.
-        
-        :param remotesource: remote source. Can contain a pattern. 
+
+        :param remotesource: remote source. Can contain a pattern.
         :param remotedestination: remote destination
         """
         # paramiko gives some errors if path is starting with '.'