diff --git a/tasks/setup.yml b/tasks/setup.yml
index e63843d..b7eeff8 100644
--- a/tasks/setup.yml
+++ b/tasks/setup.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 - name: Register SSH key
   set_fact:
-    __droneci_autoscaler_sshkey: "{{ inst.sshkey | default(droneci_autoscaler_sshkey) | default(False) }}"
+    __droneci_autoscaler_sshkey: "{{ (inst.sshkey | default(droneci_autoscaler_sshkey)) | default('') }}"
 
 - block:
     - name: Ensure service directory exists
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         content: "{{ __droneci_autoscaler_sshkey }}"
         dest: "{{ __droneci_autoscaler_workdir }}/ssh_key"
         mode: 0600
-      when: __droneci_autoscaler_sshkey | bool
+      when: __droneci_autoscaler_sshkey | legth > 0
       no_log: True
 
     - name: Generate SSH key pair if missing