diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/ssh.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/ssh.py
index 1771e5df3..c33a2f251 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/ssh.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/ssh.py
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ def ssh(
     password: Optional[str] = None,
     ssh_args: list[str] = [],
 ) -> None:
-    if ssh_args is None:
-        ssh_args = []
     nix_shell_args = []
     password_args = []
     if password:
@@ -68,12 +66,12 @@ def register_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
     parser.add_argument(
         "-j",
         "--json",
-        help="specify the json file for ssh data (generated by starting the clan installer",
+        help="specify the json file for ssh data (generated by starting the clan installer)",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-P",
         "--png",
-        help="specify the json file for ssh data as the qrcode image (generated by starting the clan installer",
+        help="specify the json file for ssh data as the qrcode image (generated by starting the clan installer)",
     )
     # TODO pass all args we don't parse into ssh_args, currently it fails if arg starts with -
     parser.add_argument("ssh_args", nargs="*", default=[])