diff --git a/internal/vfs/sftpfs.go b/internal/vfs/sftpfs.go
index 869c315e..445327bc 100644
--- a/internal/vfs/sftpfs.go
+++ b/internal/vfs/sftpfs.go
@@ -69,6 +69,17 @@ type SFTPFsConfig struct {
 	forbiddenSelfUsernames []string    `json:"-"`
 }
 
+func (c *SFTPFsConfig) getKeySigner() (ssh.Signer, error) {
+	privPayload := c.PrivateKey.GetPayload()
+	if privPayload == "" {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	if key := c.KeyPassphrase.GetPayload(); key != "" {
+		return ssh.ParsePrivateKeyWithPassphrase([]byte(privPayload), []byte(key))
+	}
+	return ssh.ParsePrivateKey([]byte(privPayload))
+}
+
 // HideConfidentialData hides confidential data
 func (c *SFTPFsConfig) HideConfidentialData() {
 	if c.Password != nil {
@@ -185,25 +196,20 @@ func (c *SFTPFsConfig) validate() error {
 
 func (c *SFTPFsConfig) validatePrivateKey() error {
 	if c.PrivateKey.IsPlain() {
-		var signer ssh.Signer
-		var err error
-		if c.KeyPassphrase.IsPlain() {
-			signer, err = ssh.ParsePrivateKeyWithPassphrase([]byte(c.PrivateKey.GetPayload()),
-				[]byte(c.KeyPassphrase.GetPayload()))
-		} else {
-			signer, err = ssh.ParsePrivateKey([]byte(c.PrivateKey.GetPayload()))
-		}
+		signer, err := c.getKeySigner()
 		if err != nil {
 			return util.NewI18nError(fmt.Errorf("invalid private key: %w", err), util.I18nErrorPrivKeyInvalid)
 		}
-		if key, ok := signer.PublicKey().(ssh.CryptoPublicKey); ok {
-			cryptoKey := key.CryptoPublicKey()
-			if rsaKey, ok := cryptoKey.(*rsa.PublicKey); ok {
-				if size := rsaKey.N.BitLen(); size < 2048 {
-					return util.NewI18nError(
-						fmt.Errorf("rsa key with size %d not accepted, minimum 2048", size),
-						util.I18nErrorKeySizeInvalid,
-					)
+		if signer != nil {
+			if key, ok := signer.PublicKey().(ssh.CryptoPublicKey); ok {
+				cryptoKey := key.CryptoPublicKey()
+				if rsaKey, ok := cryptoKey.(*rsa.PublicKey); ok {
+					if size := rsaKey.N.BitLen(); size < 2048 {
+						return util.NewI18nError(
+							fmt.Errorf("rsa key with size %d not accepted, minimum 2048", size),
+							util.I18nErrorKeySizeInvalid,
+						)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -331,15 +337,19 @@ func NewSFTPFs(connectionID, mountPath, localTempDir string, forbiddenSelfUserna
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
+	conn, err := sftpConnsCache.Get(&config, connectionID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	config.forbiddenSelfUsernames = forbiddenSelfUsernames
 	sftpFs := &SFTPFs{
 		connectionID: connectionID,
 		mountPath:    getMountPath(mountPath),
 		localTempDir: localTempDir,
 		config:       &config,
-		conn:         sftpConnsCache.Get(&config, connectionID),
+		conn:         conn,
 	}
-	err := sftpFs.createConnection()
+	err = sftpFs.createConnection()
 	if err != nil {
 		sftpFs.Close() //nolint:errcheck
 	}
@@ -910,6 +920,7 @@ type sftpConnection struct {
 	isConnected  bool
 	sessions     map[string]bool
 	lastActivity time.Time
+	signer       ssh.Signer
 }
 
 func newSFTPConnection(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) *sftpConnection {
@@ -919,6 +930,7 @@ func newSFTPConnection(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) *sftpConnection {
 		isConnected:  false,
 		sessions:     map[string]bool{},
 		lastActivity: time.Now().UTC(),
+		signer:       nil,
 	}
 	c.sessions[sessionID] = true
 	return c
@@ -931,17 +943,6 @@ func (c *sftpConnection) OpenConnection() error {
 	return c.openConnNoLock()
 }
 
-func (c *sftpConnection) getKeySigner() (ssh.Signer, error) {
-	privPayload := c.config.PrivateKey.GetPayload()
-	if privPayload == "" {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-	if key := c.config.KeyPassphrase.GetPayload(); key != "" {
-		return ssh.ParsePrivateKeyWithPassphrase([]byte(privPayload), []byte(key))
-	}
-	return ssh.ParsePrivateKey([]byte(privPayload))
-}
-
 func (c *sftpConnection) openConnNoLock() error {
 	if c.isConnected {
 		logger.Debug(c.logSender, "", "reusing connection")
@@ -979,12 +980,8 @@ func (c *sftpConnection) openConnNoLock() error {
 		Timeout:       15 * time.Second,
 		ClientVersion: fmt.Sprintf("SSH-2.0-%s", version.GetServerVersion("_", false)),
 	}
-	signer, err := c.getKeySigner()
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("sftpfs: unable to parse the private key: %w", err)
-	}
-	if signer != nil {
-		clientConfig.Auth = append(clientConfig.Auth, ssh.PublicKeys(signer))
+	if c.signer != nil {
+		clientConfig.Auth = append(clientConfig.Auth, ssh.PublicKeys(c.signer))
 	}
 	if pwd := c.config.Password.GetPayload(); pwd != "" {
 		clientConfig.Auth = append(clientConfig.Auth, ssh.Password(pwd))
@@ -1156,7 +1153,7 @@ func newSFTPConnectionCache() *sftpConnectionsCache {
 	return c
 }
 
-func (c *sftpConnectionsCache) Get(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) *sftpConnection {
+func (c *sftpConnectionsCache) Get(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) (*sftpConnection, error) {
 	partition := 0
 	key := config.getUniqueID(partition)
 
@@ -1172,7 +1169,7 @@ func (c *sftpConnectionsCache) Get(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) *sftp
 					"reusing connection for session ID %q, key: %d, active sessions %d, active connections: %d",
 					sessionID, key, activeSessions+1, len(c.items))
 				val.AddSession(sessionID)
-				return val
+				return val, nil
 			}
 			partition++
 			oldKey = key
@@ -1182,11 +1179,16 @@ func (c *sftpConnectionsCache) Get(config *SFTPFsConfig, sessionID string) *sftp
 				partition, activeSessions, oldKey, key)
 		} else {
 			conn := newSFTPConnection(config, sessionID)
+			signer, err := config.getKeySigner()
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("sftpfs: unable to parse the private key: %w", err)
+			}
+			conn.signer = signer
 			c.items[key] = conn
 			logger.Debug(logSenderSFTPCache, "",
 				"adding new connection for session ID %q, partition: %d, key: %d, active connections: %d",
 				sessionID, partition, key, len(c.items))
-			return conn
+			return conn, nil
 		}
 	}
 }