diff --git a/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php b/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
index 09ddbdde6..8da476b9e 100644
--- a/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
+++ b/app/Helpers/SshMultiplexingHelper.php
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ public static function ensureMultiplexedConnection(Server $server): bool
         $sshConfig = self::serverSshConfiguration($server);
         $muxSocket = $sshConfig['muxFilename'];
 
-        self::validateSshKey($server->privateKey);
-
         $checkCommand = "ssh -O check -o ControlPath=$muxSocket ";
         if (data_get($server, 'settings.is_cloudflare_tunnel')) {
             $checkCommand .= '-o ProxyCommand="cloudflared access ssh --hostname %h" ';
@@ -118,6 +116,9 @@ public static function generateSshCommand(Server $server, string $command)
 
         $sshConfig = self::serverSshConfiguration($server);
         $sshKeyLocation = $sshConfig['sshKeyLocation'];
+
+        self::validateSshKey($server->privateKey);
+
         $muxSocket = $sshConfig['muxFilename'];
 
         $timeout = config('constants.ssh.command_timeout');