diff --git a/mitogen/master.py b/mitogen/master.py
index 034c87a4..b7bf9c40 100644
--- a/mitogen/master.py
+++ b/mitogen/master.py
@@ -715,15 +715,38 @@ class Context(mitogen.core.Context):
         return self.call_with_deadline(None, False, fn, *args, **kwargs)
 
 
-def _proxy_connect(mitogen, name, context_id, klass, kwargs):
-    if not isinstance(mitogen.router, Router):  # TODO
-        mitogen.router.__class__ = Router  # TODO
-        LOG.debug('_proxy_connect(): constructing ModuleForwarder')
-        ModuleForwarder(mitogen.router, mitogen.parent, mitogen.importer)
 
-    context = mitogen.router._connect(
+def _local_method():
+    return Stream
+
+def _ssh_method():
+    import mitogen.ssh
+    return mitogen.ssh.Stream
+
+def _sudo_method():
+    import mitogen.sudo
+    return mitogen.sudo.Stream
+
+
+METHOD_NAMES = {
+    'local': _local_method,
+    'ssh': _ssh_method,
+    'sudo': _sudo_method,
+}
+
+
+def upgrade_router(econtext):
+    if not isinstance(econtext.router, Router):  # TODO
+        econtext.router.__class__ = Router  # TODO
+        LOG.debug('_proxy_connect(): constructing ModuleForwarder')
+        ModuleForwarder(econtext.router, econtext.parent, econtext.importer)
+
+
+def _proxy_connect(econtext, name, context_id, method_name, kwargs):
+    upgrade_router(econtext)
+    context = econtext.router._connect(
         context_id,
-        klass,
+        METHOD_NAMES[method_name](),
         name=name,
         **kwargs
     )
@@ -759,15 +782,13 @@ class Router(mitogen.core.Router):
         return self._context_by_id.get(context_id)
 
     def local(self, **kwargs):
-        return self.connect(Stream, **kwargs)
+        return self.connect('local', **kwargs)
 
     def sudo(self, **kwargs):
-        import mitogen.sudo
-        return self.connect(mitogen.sudo.Stream, **kwargs)
+        return self.connect('sudo', **kwargs)
 
     def ssh(self, **kwargs):
-        import mitogen.ssh
-        return self.connect(mitogen.ssh.Stream, **kwargs)
+        return self.connect('ssh', **kwargs)
 
     def _connect(self, context_id, klass, name=None, **kwargs):
         context = Context(self, context_id)
@@ -779,22 +800,22 @@ class Router(mitogen.core.Router):
         self.register(context, stream)
         return context
 
-    def connect(self, klass, name=None, **kwargs):
+    def connect(self, method_name, name=None, **kwargs):
+        klass = METHOD_NAMES[method_name]()
         kwargs.setdefault('debug', self.debug)
 
         via = kwargs.pop('via', None)
         if via is not None:
-            return self.proxy_connect(via, klass, name=name, **kwargs)
-
+            return self.proxy_connect(via, method_name, name=name, **kwargs)
         context_id = self.context_id_counter.next()
         return self._connect(context_id, klass, name=name, **kwargs)
 
-    def proxy_connect(self, via_context, klass, name=None, **kwargs):
+    def proxy_connect(self, via_context, method_name, name=None, **kwargs):
         context_id = self.context_id_counter.next()
         # Must be added prior to _proxy_connect() to avoid a race.
         self.add_route(context_id, via_context.context_id)
         name = via_context.call_with_deadline(None, True,
-            _proxy_connect, name, context_id, klass, kwargs
+            _proxy_connect, name, context_id, method_name, kwargs
         )
         # name = '%s.%s' % (via_context.name, name)
         context = Context(self, context_id, name=name)