diff --git a/nixos/kubeadm/scripts/rebuild-and-bootstrap.sh b/nixos/kubeadm/scripts/rebuild-and-bootstrap.sh
index ca86980..678d467 100755
--- a/nixos/kubeadm/scripts/rebuild-and-bootstrap.sh
+++ b/nixos/kubeadm/scripts/rebuild-and-bootstrap.sh
@@ -97,12 +97,14 @@ remote() {
 
   quoted_cmd="$(printf '%q' "$cmd")"
   for candidate in "${candidates[@]}"; do
-    if ssh $SSH_OPTS "$candidate@$host_ip" "bash -lc $quoted_cmd"; then
+    ssh $SSH_OPTS "$candidate@$host_ip" "bash -lc $quoted_cmd"
+    rc=$?
+
+    if [ "$rc" -eq 0 ]; then
       ACTIVE_SSH_USER="$candidate"
       return 0
     fi
 
-    rc=$?
     if [ "$rc" -ne 255 ]; then
       return "$rc"
     fi