diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
index f885ff1e..2871ed29 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
@@ -563,6 +563,7 @@ func RemoteNewCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (ss
 	}
 	if pk.Kwargs["key"] != "" {
 		keyFile := pk.Kwargs["key"]
+		keyFile = base.ExpandHomeDir(keyFile)
 		fd, err := os.Open(keyFile)
 		if fd != nil {
 			fd.Close()
@@ -572,6 +573,17 @@ func RemoteNewCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (ss
 		}
 		sshOpts.SSHIdentity = keyFile
 	}
+	if pk.Kwargs["port"] != "" {
+		portStr := pk.Kwargs["port"]
+		portVal, err := strconv.Atoi(portStr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return makeRemoteEditErrorReturn(visualEdit, fmt.Errorf("/remote:new invalid port %q: %v", portStr, err))
+		}
+		if portVal <= 0 {
+			return makeRemoteEditErrorReturn(visualEdit, fmt.Errorf("/remote:new invalid port %d (must be positive)", portVal))
+		}
+		sshOpts.SSHPort = portVal
+	}
 	remoteOpts := &sstore.RemoteOptsType{}
 	if pk.Kwargs["color"] != "" {
 		color := pk.Kwargs["color"]
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
index 65c5c2f7..f3c7cff6 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func UpsertRemote(ctx context.Context, r *RemoteType) error {
 		if tx.Exists(query, r.RemoteCanonicalName) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("remote has duplicate canonicalname '%s', cannot create", r.RemoteCanonicalName)
 		}
-		query = `SELECT remoteid FROM remote WHERE alias = ?`
+		query = `SELECT remoteid FROM remote WHERE remotealias = ?`
 		if r.RemoteAlias != "" && tx.Exists(query, r.RemoteAlias) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("remote has duplicate alias '%s', cannot create", r.RemoteAlias)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
index 40dcfecc..23ee71f5 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
@@ -470,11 +470,12 @@ type LineType struct {
 }
 
 type SSHOpts struct {
-	Local       bool   `json:"local"`
+	Local       bool   `json:"local,omitempty"`
 	SSHHost     string `json:"sshhost"`
-	SSHOptsStr  string `json:"sshopts"`
-	SSHIdentity string `json:"sshidentity"`
 	SSHUser     string `json:"sshuser"`
+	SSHOptsStr  string `json:"sshopts,omitempty"`
+	SSHIdentity string `json:"sshidentity,omitempty"`
+	SSHPort     int    `json:"sshport,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type RemoteOptsType struct {