diff --git a/lisa/target.py b/lisa/target.py
index 69efd5778b720034bd713be129bbbd4c06d35b84..775fa73c80fab7f71eea1ec6ff04dadc97513d80 100644
--- a/lisa/target.py
+++ b/lisa/target.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class TargetConf(SimpleMultiSrcConf, HideExekallID):
             KeyDesc('excluded-modules', 'List of devlib modules to *not* load', [typing.Sequence[str]]),
             KeyDesc('file-xfer', 'File transfer method. Can be "sftp" (default) or "scp". (Only valid for linux targets)', [typing.Sequence[str]]),
             KeyDesc('max-async', 'Maximum number of asynchronous commands in flight at any time', [int, None]),
-
+            KeyDesc('connection-kind', 'Kind of connection to use. One of "ssh", "adb", "host" or None (inferred from target kind).', [typing.Literal['ssh', 'adb', 'host'], None]),
         ))
     ))
 
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
     INIT_KWARGS_KEY_MAP = {
         'devlib_excluded_modules': ['devlib', 'excluded-modules'],
         'devlib_file_xfer': ['devlib', 'file-xfer'],
+        'devlib_connection_kind': ['devlib', 'connection-kind'],
         'devlib_max_async': ['devlib', 'max-async'],
         'wait_boot': ['wait-boot', 'enable'],
         'wait_boot_timeout': ['wait-boot', 'timeout'],
@@ -274,6 +275,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
         devlib_platform=None, devlib_excluded_modules=[], devlib_file_xfer=None,
         wait_boot=True, wait_boot_timeout=10, kernel_src=None, kmod_build_env=None,
         kmod_make_vars=None, kmod_overlay_backend=None, devlib_max_async=None,
+        devlib_connection_kind=None,
     ):
         # Determine file transfer method. Currently avaliable options
         # are 'sftp' and 'scp', defaults to sftp.
@@ -283,6 +285,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
 
         target = self._init_target(
             kind=kind,
+            connection_kind=devlib_connection_kind,
             name=name,
             workdir=workdir,
             device=device,
@@ -788,7 +791,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
         return custom_args, cls.from_conf(conf=target_conf, plat_info=platform_info, res_dir=args.res_dir)
 
     @classmethod
-    def _init_target(cls, kind, name, workdir, device, host,
+    def _init_target(cls, kind, connection_kind, name, workdir, device, host,
             port, username, password, keyfile, strict_host_check, use_scp,
             devlib_platform, wait_boot, wait_boot_timeout, max_async,
     ):
@@ -799,11 +802,25 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
         conn_settings = {}
         resolved_username = username or 'root'
 
-        logger.debug(f'Setting up {kind} target...')
+        default_connection_kind = {
+            'android': 'adb',
+            'linux': 'ssh',
+            'host': 'host',
+        }
+        connection_kind = connection_kind or default_connection_kind[kind]
+
+        logger.debug(f'Setting up {kind} target (connection kind {connection_kind})...')
+
+        target_cls = {
+            'android': devlib.AndroidTarget,
+            'linux': devlib.LinuxTarget,
+            'host': devlib.LocalLinuxTarget,
+        }
+        devlib_target_cls = target_cls[kind]
 
         # If the target is Android, we need just (eventually) the device
-        if kind == 'android':
-            devlib_target_cls = devlib.AndroidTarget
+        if connection_kind == 'android':
+            conn_cls = devlib.AdbConnection
 
             # Workaround for ARM-software/devlib#225
             workdir = workdir or '/data/local/tmp/devlib-target'
@@ -816,8 +833,8 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
                 # as early as possible
                 adb_as_root=(username == 'root'),
             )
-        elif kind == 'linux':
-            devlib_target_cls = devlib.LinuxTarget
+        elif connection_kind == 'ssh':
+            conn_cls = devlib.SshConnection
             conn_settings.update(
                 username=resolved_username,
                 port=port or cls.SSH_PORT_DEFAULT,
@@ -831,8 +848,8 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
                 conn_settings['keyfile'] = keyfile
             else:
                 conn_settings['password'] = password
-        elif kind == 'host':
-            devlib_target_cls = devlib.LocalLinuxTarget
+        elif connection_kind == 'host':
+            conn_cls = devlib.LocalConnection
             # If we are given a password, assume we can use it as a sudo
             # password.
             conn_settings.update(
@@ -840,7 +857,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
                 password=password,
             )
         else:
-            raise ValueError(f'Unsupported platform type {kind}')
+            raise ValueError(f'Unsupported connection kind: {connection_kind}')
 
         conn_settings = {
             k: v
@@ -853,7 +870,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
             for key, val in conn_settings.items()
             if key != 'password'
         )
-        logger.debug(f'{kind} {name} target connection settings:\n    {settings}')
+        logger.debug(f'{kind} {name} target ({connection_kind}) connection settings:\n    {settings}')
 
         ########################################################################
         # Devlib Platform configuration
@@ -871,6 +888,7 @@ class Target(Loggable, HideExekallID, ExekallTaggable, Configurable):
         devlib_kwargs = dict(
             platform=devlib_platform,
             load_default_modules=False,
+            conn_cls=conn_cls,
             connection_settings=conn_settings,
             working_directory=workdir,
             connect=False,