diff --git a/ssh-audit.py b/ssh-audit.py
index d917d44..321ac00 100755
--- a/ssh-audit.py
+++ b/ssh-audit.py
@@ -124,7 +124,11 @@ class SSH(object):
 	MSG_KEXDH_REPLY = 32
 	
 	class Socket(ReadBuf):
+		SM_BANNER_SENT = 1
+		
 		def __init__(self, host, port, cto = 3.0, rto = 5.0):
+			self.__state = 0
+			self.__banner = None
 			super(SSH.Socket, self).__init__()
 			try:
 				self.__sock = socket.create_connection((host, port), cto)
@@ -136,6 +140,14 @@ class SSH(object):
 		def __enter__(self):
 			return self
 		
+		def get_banner(self):
+			if self.__state < self.SM_BANNER_SENT:
+				self.send_banner()
+			if self.__banner is None:
+				self.recv()
+				self.__banner = self.read_line()
+			return self.__banner
+		
 		def recv(self, size = 2048):
 			data = self.__sock.recv(size)
 			pos = self._buf.tell()
@@ -147,6 +159,11 @@ class SSH(object):
 		def send(self, data):
 			self.__sock.send(data)
 		
+		def send_banner(self, banner = SSH_BANNER):
+			self.send(banner.encode() + b'\r\n')
+			if self.__state < self.SM_BANNER_SENT:
+				self.__state = self.SM_BANNER_SENT
+		
 		def read_packet(self):
 			block_size = 8
 			if self.unread_len < block_size:
@@ -385,9 +402,7 @@ def parse_args():
 def main():
 	host, port = parse_args()
 	s = SSH.Socket(host, port)
-	s.send(SSH_BANNER.encode() + b'\r\n')
-	s.recv()
-	banner = s.read_line()
+	banner = s.get_banner()
 	out.head('# general')
 	out.good('[info] banner: ' + banner)
 	if banner.startswith('SSH-1.99-'):