diff --git a/lib/types.nix b/lib/types.nix
index ca6794e274c..d1ece2402ad 100644
--- a/lib/types.nix
+++ b/lib/types.nix
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ rec {
         # s32 = sign 32 4294967296;
       };
 
+    # Alias of u16 for a port number
+    port = ints.u16;
+
     float = mkOptionType rec {
         name = "float";
         description = "floating point number";
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
index e6c9eae11a7..d993e47bc91 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
-   <varlistentry>
+   <varlistentry xml:id='types.ints.ux'>
     <term>
      <varname>types.ints.{u8, u16, u32}</varname>
     </term>
@@ -131,6 +131,17 @@
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
+   <varlistentry>
+    <term>
+     <varname>types.port</varname>
+    </term>
+    <listitem>
+     <para>
+      A port number. This type is an alias to
+      <link linkend='types.ints.ux'><varname>types.ints.u16</varname></link>.
+     </para>
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
   </variablelist>
 
   <para>
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
index c16fbe8a52f..5fab79f1b3d 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ in
       };
 
       ports = mkOption {
-        type = types.listOf types.int;
+        type = types.listOf types.port;
         default = [22];
         description = ''
           Specifies on which ports the SSH daemon listens.