diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell b/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
index bc56b49a7..1a6e3cf4e 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ else
 fi
 rm /tmp/ssh_rsa_hostkey
 
-# if there is a ecdsa host key on the node then download the replacement from the MN/SN
-if [ -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key ]; then
+# if node supports ecdsa host key then download the replacement from the MN/SN
+if ssh-keygen -t ecdsa -f /tmp/ecdsa_key -P "" &>/dev/null ; then
   # download the host ecdsa key
   if [ $useflowcontrol = "1" ]; then
     #first contact daemon  xcatflowrequest <server> 3001