diff --git a/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php b/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
index 0e840c3ce..09ddbdde6 100644
--- a/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
+++ b/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
@@ -21,17 +21,16 @@ public static function serverSshConfiguration(Server $server)
         ];
     }
 
-    public static function ensureMultiplexedConnection(Server $server)
+    public static function ensureMultiplexedConnection(Server $server): bool
     {
         if (! self::isMultiplexingEnabled()) {
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         $sshConfig = self::serverSshConfiguration($server);
         $muxSocket = $sshConfig['muxFilename'];
-        $sshKeyLocation = $sshConfig['sshKeyLocation'];
 
-        self::validateSshKey($sshKeyLocation);
+        self::validateSshKey($server->privateKey);
 
         $checkCommand = "ssh -O check -o ControlPath=$muxSocket ";
         if (data_get($server, 'settings.is_cloudflare_tunnel')) {
@@ -41,16 +40,17 @@ public static function ensureMultiplexedConnection(Server $server)
         $process = Process::run($checkCommand);
 
         if ($process->exitCode() !== 0) {
-            self::establishNewMultiplexedConnection($server);
+            return self::establishNewMultiplexedConnection($server);
         }
+
+        return true;
     }
 
-    public static function establishNewMultiplexedConnection(Server $server)
+    public static function establishNewMultiplexedConnection(Server $server): bool
     {
         $sshConfig = self::serverSshConfiguration($server);
         $sshKeyLocation = $sshConfig['sshKeyLocation'];
         $muxSocket = $sshConfig['muxFilename'];
-
         $connectionTimeout = config('constants.ssh.connection_timeout');
         $serverInterval = config('constants.ssh.server_interval');
         $muxPersistTime = config('constants.ssh.mux_persist_time');
@@ -60,15 +60,14 @@ public static function establishNewMultiplexedConnection(Server $server)
         if (data_get($server, 'settings.is_cloudflare_tunnel')) {
             $establishCommand .= ' -o ProxyCommand="cloudflared access ssh --hostname %h" ';
         }
-
         $establishCommand .= self::getCommonSshOptions($server, $sshKeyLocation, $connectionTimeout, $serverInterval);
         $establishCommand .= "{$server->user}@{$server->ip}";
-
         $establishProcess = Process::run($establishCommand);
-
         if ($establishProcess->exitCode() !== 0) {
-            throw new \RuntimeException('Failed to establish multiplexed connection: '.$establishProcess->errorOutput());
+            return false;
         }
+
+        return true;
     }
 
     public static function removeMuxFile(Server $server)
@@ -97,9 +96,8 @@ public static function generateScpCommand(Server $server, string $source, string
         if ($server->isIpv6()) {
             $scp_command .= '-6 ';
         }
-        if (self::isMultiplexingEnabled()) {
+        if (self::isMultiplexingEnabled() && self::ensureMultiplexedConnection($server)) {
             $scp_command .= "-o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=$muxSocket -o ControlPersist={$muxPersistTime} ";
-            self::ensureMultiplexedConnection($server);
         }
 
         if (data_get($server, 'settings.is_cloudflare_tunnel')) {
@@ -127,9 +125,8 @@ public static function generateSshCommand(Server $server, string $command)
 
         $ssh_command = "timeout $timeout ssh ";
 
-        if (self::isMultiplexingEnabled()) {
+        if (self::isMultiplexingEnabled() && self::ensureMultiplexedConnection($server)) {
             $ssh_command .= "-o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=$muxSocket -o ControlPersist={$muxPersistTime} ";
-            self::ensureMultiplexedConnection($server);
         }
 
         if (data_get($server, 'settings.is_cloudflare_tunnel')) {
@@ -154,13 +151,14 @@ private static function isMultiplexingEnabled(): bool
         return config('constants.ssh.mux_enabled') && ! config('constants.coolify.is_windows_docker_desktop');
     }
 
-    private static function validateSshKey(string $sshKeyLocation): void
+    private static function validateSshKey(PrivateKey $privateKey): void
     {
-        $checkKeyCommand = "ls $sshKeyLocation 2>/dev/null";
+        $keyLocation = $privateKey->getKeyLocation();
+        $checkKeyCommand = "ls $keyLocation 2>/dev/null";
         $keyCheckProcess = Process::run($checkKeyCommand);
 
         if ($keyCheckProcess->exitCode() !== 0) {
-            throw new \RuntimeException("SSH key file not accessible: $sshKeyLocation");
+            $privateKey->storeInFileSystem();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Server.php b/app/Models/Server.php
index 3df156a78..5bbd13ac7 100644
--- a/app/Models/Server.php
+++ b/app/Models/Server.php
@@ -1059,10 +1059,6 @@ public function validateConnection(bool $isManualCheck = true, bool $justCheckin
             return ['uptime' => false, 'error' => 'Server skipped.'];
         }
         try {
-            // Make sure the private key is stored
-            if ($this->privateKey) {
-                $this->privateKey->storeInFileSystem();
-            }
             instant_remote_process(['ls /'], $this);
             if ($this->settings->is_reachable === false) {
                 $this->settings->is_reachable = true;