diff --git a/internal/api/handlers_machines.go b/internal/api/handlers_machines.go
index a7cba93..2288e2f 100644
--- a/internal/api/handlers_machines.go
+++ b/internal/api/handlers_machines.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"github.com/syncserver/internal/config"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
 	"github.com/syncserver/internal/models"
 	"github.com/syncserver/internal/sshmanager"
 	"github.com/syncserver/internal/syncengine"
@@ -355,29 +356,63 @@ func (h *MachineHandler) ApproveFingerprint(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Reque
 
 	var req struct {
 		Fingerprint string `json:"fingerprint"`
+		HostKey    string `json:"host_key"`
 	}
-	if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&req); err != nil {
-		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "invalid request body")
-		return
-	}
-	if req.Fingerprint == "" {
-		writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "fingerprint is required")
+	json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&req)
+
+	sshDir := filepath.Join("/var/lib/syncserver", "ssh")
+	knownHostsPath, err := sshmanager.EnsureKnownHosts(sshDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "failed to ensure known_hosts")
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err := repo.UpdateFingerprint(id, true, req.Fingerprint); err != nil {
+	privKeyPath := filepath.Join("/var/lib/syncserver", "ssh", "id_ed25519")
+	if m.SSHKeyID != nil {
+		sshKeyRepo := models.NewSSHKeyRepository(h.db)
+		sshKey, err := sshKeyRepo.GetByID(*m.SSHKeyID)
+		if err == nil && sshKey.PrivateKeyPath != "" {
+			privKeyPath = sshKey.PrivateKeyPath
+		}
+	}
+
+	var fingerprint, pubKeyLine string
+
+	if req.HostKey != "" {
+		pubKeyLine = req.HostKey
+	} else {
+		conn, fp, pubKey, err := sshmanager.ConnectForApproval(
+			context.Background(), m.Host, m.Port, m.SSHUser,
+			privKeyPath, knownHostsPath,
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, fmt.Sprintf("could not retrieve host key: %v", err))
+			return
+		}
+		conn.Close()
+		fingerprint = fp
+		pubKeyLine = string(ssh.MarshalAuthorizedKey(pubKey))
+	}
+
+	if fingerprint == "" && req.Fingerprint != "" {
+		fingerprint = req.Fingerprint
+	}
+
+	if pubKeyLine != "" {
+		if err := sshmanager.AddKnownHost(sshDir, m.Host, m.Port, []byte(pubKeyLine)); err != nil {
+			writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, fmt.Sprintf("failed to add known_host entry: %v", err))
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := repo.UpdateFingerprint(id, true, fingerprint); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("failed to update fingerprint", "id", id, "error", err)
 		writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "failed to update fingerprint")
 		return
 	}
 
-	sshDir := filepath.Join("/var/lib/syncserver", "ssh")
-	if err := sshmanager.AddKnownHost(sshDir, m.Host, m.Port, []byte(req.Fingerprint)); err != nil {
-		slog.Warn("failed to add known_host entry", "host", m.Host, "error", err)
-	}
-
 	m.FingerprintConfirmed = true
-	m.HostKeyFingerprint = &req.Fingerprint
+	m.HostKeyFingerprint = &fingerprint
 	writeJSON(w, machineToResp(*m))
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/sshmanager/shutdown.go b/internal/sshmanager/shutdown.go
index d049ce4..72a99d2 100644
--- a/internal/sshmanager/shutdown.go
+++ b/internal/sshmanager/shutdown.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ type ShutdownResult struct {
 }
 
 func RunRemoteCommand(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath string, strictHostKeyChecking bool, command string) (*ShutdownResult, error) {
-	conn, _, err := dialSSH(ctx, host, port, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath, strictHostKeyChecking)
+	conn, _, _, err := dialSSH(ctx, host, port, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath, strictHostKeyChecking)
 	if err != nil {
 		return &ShutdownResult{Success: false, Error: err.Error()}, nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/sshmanager/testconn.go b/internal/sshmanager/testconn.go
index 179091c..3b2effc 100644
--- a/internal/sshmanager/testconn.go
+++ b/internal/sshmanager/testconn.go
@@ -22,26 +22,28 @@ type ConnResult struct {
 	Fingerprint string
 }
 
-func dialSSH(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath string, strictHostKeyChecking bool) (*ssh.Client, string, error) {
+func dialSSH(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath string, strictHostKeyChecking bool) (*ssh.Client, string, ssh.PublicKey, error) {
 	addr := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", host, port)
 
 	auths := []ssh.AuthMethod{}
 	if privKeyPath != "" {
 		key, err := os.ReadFile(privKeyPath)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("reading private key: %w", err)
+			return nil, "", nil, fmt.Errorf("reading private key: %w", err)
 		}
 		signer, err := ssh.ParsePrivateKey(key)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("parsing private key: %w", err)
+			return nil, "", nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing private key: %w", err)
 		}
 		auths = append(auths, ssh.PublicKeys(signer))
 	}
 
 	var capturedFingerprint string
+	var capturedPubKey ssh.PublicKey
 	hostKeyCallback := func(hostname string, remote net.Addr, key ssh.PublicKey) error {
 		h := sha256.Sum256(key.Marshal())
 		capturedFingerprint = "SHA256:" + base64.RawStdEncoding.EncodeToString(h[:])
+		capturedPubKey = key
 		if strictHostKeyChecking && knownHostsPath != "" {
 			kh, err := GetKnownHost(filepath.Dir(knownHostsPath), host, port)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -71,15 +73,15 @@ func dialSSH(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, know
 	conn, err := ssh.Dial("tcp", addr, cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "known_hosts") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "host key") {
-			return nil, capturedFingerprint, fmt.Errorf("host key verification failed: %v", err)
+			return nil, capturedFingerprint, capturedPubKey, fmt.Errorf("host key verification failed: %v", err)
 		}
-		return nil, capturedFingerprint, fmt.Errorf("connection failed: %v", err)
+		return nil, capturedFingerprint, capturedPubKey, fmt.Errorf("connection failed: %v", err)
 	}
-	return conn, capturedFingerprint, nil
+	return conn, capturedFingerprint, capturedPubKey, nil
 }
 
 func TestSSHConnection(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath string, strictHostKeyChecking bool) (*ConnResult, error) {
-	conn, fingerprint, err := dialSSH(ctx, host, port, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath, strictHostKeyChecking)
+	conn, fingerprint, _, err := dialSSH(ctx, host, port, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath, strictHostKeyChecking)
 	if err != nil {
 		return &ConnResult{
 			Success:     false,
@@ -113,3 +115,7 @@ func TestSSHConnection(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKey
 		Fingerprint: fingerprint,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ConnectForApproval(ctx context.Context, host string, port int, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath string) (*ssh.Client, string, ssh.PublicKey, error) {
+	return dialSSH(ctx, host, port, user, privKeyPath, knownHostsPath, false)
+}