diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2cd23f0f1..5e3ab78da 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Status: unreleased.
 - Telegram: keep topic IDs in restart sentinel notifications. (#1807) Thanks @hsrvc.
 - Config: apply config.env before ${VAR} substitution. (#1813) Thanks @spanishflu-est1918.
 - Slack: clear ack reaction after streamed replies. (#2044) Thanks @fancyboi999.
+- macOS: keep custom SSH usernames in remote target. (#2046) Thanks @algal.
 
 ## 2026.1.24-3
 
diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdbot/AppState.swift b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdbot/AppState.swift
index eeaf034d0..6ccb83369 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdbot/AppState.swift
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/Clawdbot/AppState.swift
@@ -413,10 +413,17 @@ final class AppState {
     }
 
     private func updateRemoteTarget(host: String) {
-        let parsed = CommandResolver.parseSSHTarget(self.remoteTarget)
-        let user = parsed?.user ?? NSUserName()
-        let port = parsed?.port ?? 22
-        let assembled = port == 22 ? "\(user)@\(host)" : "\(user)@\(host):\(port)"
+        let trimmed = self.remoteTarget.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+        guard let parsed = CommandResolver.parseSSHTarget(trimmed) else { return }
+        let trimmedUser = parsed.user?.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+        let user = (trimmedUser?.isEmpty ?? true) ? nil : trimmedUser
+        let port = parsed.port
+        let assembled: String
+        if let user {
+            assembled = port == 22 ? "\(user)@\(host)" : "\(user)@\(host):\(port)"
+        } else {
+            assembled = port == 22 ? host : "\(host):\(port)"
+        }
         if assembled != self.remoteTarget {
             self.remoteTarget = assembled
         }