diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0f16dde..6e85de5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,16 @@ jobs:
           echo "${{ secrets.GHCR_TOKEN }}" | docker login ghcr.io -u serverussnap --password-stdin
           docker push ghcr.io/serverussnap/imagegenerator:latest
 
+      - name: Setup SSH key
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh
+          echo "${{ secrets.VM_SSH_KEY }}" > ~/.ssh/id_rsa
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
+
+      - name: Test SSH connection
+        run: |
+          ssh -v -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa ${{ secrets.VM_USER }}@${{ secrets.VM_HOST }} "echo 'SSH Connection successful!'"
+
       - name: Deploy to Swarm Worker Node
         uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v1.0.0
         with: