diff --git a/packages/cli/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/cli/CHANGELOG.md
index f553ae64f..c564d3ae0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/cli/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 All notable changes to the Zowe CLI package will be documented in this file.
 
+## Recent Changes
+
+- BugFix: Removed unnecessary `$ ` characters in front of most output. [zowe-explorer#3079(comment)](https://github.com/zowe/zowe-explorer-vscode/pull/3079#pullrequestreview-2408842655)
 
 ## `8.6.2`
 
diff --git a/packages/zosuss/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/zosuss/CHANGELOG.md
index 5ebdb64df..7c8438e3d 100644
--- a/packages/zosuss/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/zosuss/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 All notable changes to the Zowe z/OS USS SDK package will be documented in this file.
 
+## Recent Changes
+
+- BugFix: Removed unnecessary `$ ` characters in front of most output. [zowe-explorer#3079(comment)](https://github.com/zowe/zowe-explorer-vscode/pull/3079#pullrequestreview-2408842655)
+- Enhancement: Added the ability to validate if an SSH profile can successfully establish a connection, ensuring quicker troubleshooting of connection issues. [zowe-explorer#3079(comment)](https://github.com/zowe/zowe-explorer-vscode/pull/3079#discussion_r1825783867)
+
 ## `8.1.1`
 
 - BugFix: Updated peer dependencies to `^8.0.0`, dropping support for versions tagged `next`. [#2287](https://github.com/zowe/zowe-cli/pull/2287)
diff --git a/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__system__/Shell.system.test.ts b/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__system__/Shell.system.test.ts
index eece57bd5..936531fe0 100644
--- a/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__system__/Shell.system.test.ts
+++ b/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__system__/Shell.system.test.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,19 @@ describe("zowe uss issue ssh api call test", () => {
         await TestEnvironment.cleanUp(TEST_ENVIRONMENT);
     });
 
+    describe("Function isConnectionValid", () => {
+        it("should verify that the connection is valid", async () => {
+            const response = await Shell.isConnectionValid(SSH_SESSION);
+            expect(response).toBe(true);
+        });
+        it("should verify that the connection is invalid", async () => {
+            const fakeSession: SshSession = TestEnvironment.createSshSession(TEST_ENVIRONMENT);
+            fakeSession.ISshSession.hostname = "fake-host";
+            const response = await Shell.isConnectionValid(fakeSession);
+            expect(response).toBe(false);
+        });
+    });
+
     it ("should execute uname command on the remote system by ssh and return operating system name", async () => {
         const command = "uname";
         let stdoutData = "";
@@ -149,7 +162,8 @@ describe("zowe uss issue ssh api call test", () => {
             expect(error.toString()).toContain(ZosUssMessages.connectionRefused.message);
         } else {
             expect(error.toString().includes(ZosUssMessages.allAuthMethodsFailed.message) ||
-                   error.toString().includes(ZosUssMessages.connectionRefused.message)).toBe(true);
+                error.toString().includes(ZosUssMessages.connectionRefused.message) ||
+                error.toString().includes(ZosUssMessages.unexpected.message)).toBe(true);
         }
 
     }, TIME_OUT);
diff --git a/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__unit__/Shell.unit.test.ts b/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__unit__/Shell.unit.test.ts
index f8c3b397a..7ddb5058a 100644
--- a/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__unit__/Shell.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/zosuss/__tests__/__unit__/Shell.unit.test.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const mockShell = jest.fn().mockImplementation((callback) => {
 (Client as any).mockImplementation(() => {
     mockClient.connect = mockConnect;
     mockClient.shell = mockShell;
-    mockClient.end = jest.fn();
+    mockClient.end = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(mockClient);
     return mockClient;
 });
 
@@ -103,6 +103,29 @@ describe("Shell", () => {
         checkMockFunctionsWithCommand(command);
     });
 
+    it("Should execute ssh command with cwd option and no extra characters in the output", async () => {
+        const cwd = "/";
+        const command = "commandtest";
+        await Shell.executeSshCwd(fakeSshSession, command, cwd, stdoutHandler, true);
+
+        checkMockFunctionsWithCommand(command);
+    });
+
+    describe("Connection validation", () => {
+        it("should determine that the connection is valid", async () => {
+            const response = await Shell.isConnectionValid(fakeSshSession);
+            expect(response).toBe(true);
+        });
+        it("should determine that the connection is invalid", async () => {
+            mockConnect.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+                mockClient.emit("error", new Error(Shell.connRefusedFlag));
+                mockStream.emit("exit", 0);
+            });
+            const response = await Shell.isConnectionValid(fakeSshSession);
+            expect(response).toBe(false);
+        });
+    });
+
     describe("Error handling", () => {
         it("should fail when password is expired", async () => {
             mockShell.mockImplementationOnce((callback) => {
diff --git a/packages/zosuss/src/Shell.ts b/packages/zosuss/src/Shell.ts
index dc7ff271f..ed319fbbd 100644
--- a/packages/zosuss/src/Shell.ts
+++ b/packages/zosuss/src/Shell.ts
@@ -23,20 +23,11 @@ export class Shell {
 
     public static executeSsh(session: SshSession,
         command: string,
-        stdoutHandler: (data: string) => void): Promise<any> {
-        const authsAllowed = ["none"];
+        stdoutHandler: (data: string) => void,
+        removeExtraCharactersFromOutput = false): Promise<any> {
         let hasAuthFailed = false;
         const promise = new Promise<any>((resolve, reject) => {
             const conn = new Client();
-
-            // These are needed for authenticationHandler
-            // The order is critical as this is the order of authentication that will be used.
-            if (session.ISshSession.privateKey != null && session.ISshSession.privateKey !== "undefined") {
-                authsAllowed.push("publickey");
-            }
-            if (session.ISshSession.password != null && session.ISshSession.password !== "undefined") {
-                authsAllowed.push("password");
-            }
             conn.on("ready", () => {
                 conn.shell((err: any, stream: ClientChannel) => {
                     if (err) { throw err; }
@@ -77,6 +68,7 @@ export class Shell {
                             return;
                         }
                         dataBuffer += data;
+
                         if (dataBuffer.includes("\r")) {
                             // when data is not received with complete lines,
                             // slice the last incomplete line and put it back to dataBuffer until it gets the complete line,
@@ -101,6 +93,8 @@ export class Shell {
                             else if (isUserCommand && dataToPrint.length != 0) {
                                 if (!dataToPrint.startsWith('\r\n$ '+cmd) && !dataToPrint.startsWith('\r<')){
                                     //only prints command output
+                                    if (removeExtraCharactersFromOutput && dataToPrint.startsWith("\r\n$ "))
+                                        dataToPrint = dataToPrint.replace(/\r\n\$\s/, "\r\n");
                                     stdoutHandler(dataToPrint);
                                     dataToPrint = "";
                                 }
@@ -140,28 +134,53 @@ export class Shell {
                     }));
                 }
             });
-            conn.connect({
-                host: session.ISshSession.hostname,
-                port: session.ISshSession.port,
-                username: session.ISshSession.user,
-                password: session.ISshSession.password,
-                privateKey: session.ISshSession.privateKey != null && session.ISshSession.privateKey !== "undefined" ?
-                    require("fs").readFileSync(session.ISshSession.privateKey) : "",
-                passphrase: session.ISshSession.keyPassphrase,
-                authHandler: this.authenticationHandler(authsAllowed),
-                readyTimeout: session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout != null && session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout !== undefined ?
-                    session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout : 0
-            } as any);
+            Shell.connect(conn, session);
         });
         return promise;
     }
 
+    private static connect(connection: Client, session: SshSession) {
+        const authsAllowed = ["none"];
+
+        // These are needed for authenticationHandler
+        // The order is critical as this is the order of authentication that will be used.
+        if (session.ISshSession.privateKey != null && session.ISshSession.privateKey !== "undefined") {
+            authsAllowed.push("publickey");
+        }
+        if (session.ISshSession.password != null && session.ISshSession.password !== "undefined") {
+            authsAllowed.push("password");
+        }
+
+        connection.connect({
+            host: session.ISshSession.hostname,
+            port: session.ISshSession.port,
+            username: session.ISshSession.user,
+            password: session.ISshSession.password,
+            privateKey: session.ISshSession.privateKey != null && session.ISshSession.privateKey !== "undefined" ?
+                require("fs").readFileSync(session.ISshSession.privateKey) : "",
+            passphrase: session.ISshSession.keyPassphrase,
+            authHandler: this.authenticationHandler(authsAllowed),
+            readyTimeout: session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout != null && session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout !== undefined ?
+                session.ISshSession.handshakeTimeout : 0
+        } as any);
+    }
+
     public static async executeSshCwd(session: SshSession,
         command: string,
         cwd: string,
-        stdoutHandler: (data: string) => void): Promise<any> {
+        stdoutHandler: (data: string) => void,
+        removeExtraCharactersFromOutput = false
+    ): Promise<any> {
         const cwdCommand = `cd ${cwd} && ${command}`;
-        return this.executeSsh(session, cwdCommand, stdoutHandler);
+        return this.executeSsh(session, cwdCommand, stdoutHandler, removeExtraCharactersFromOutput);
+    }
+
+    public static async isConnectionValid(session: SshSession): Promise<boolean>{
+        return new Promise((resolve, _) => {
+            const conn = new Client();
+            conn.on("ready", () => conn.end() && resolve(true)).on("error", () => resolve(false));
+            Shell.connect(conn, session);
+        });
     }
 
     private static authenticationHandler(authsAllowed: string[]) {