diff --git a/start_backup.sh b/start_backup.sh
index 3b1f37e..4fd084c 100644
--- a/start_backup.sh
+++ b/start_backup.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ if ! id -u "$SSH_USER" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     adduser -D -s /bin/sh -h "/home/$SSH_USER" "$SSH_USER"
     # Ensure the user is properly initialized in shadow database
     passwd -u "$SSH_USER" 2>/dev/null || true
+    # Add default ssh password if not set
+    echo "$SSH_USER:$SSH_PASSWORD" | chpasswd
+else
+    echo "User $SSH_USER already exists."
 fi
 
 # Create necessary directories
@@ -22,13 +26,16 @@ mkdir -p "$SSH_CONFIG_DIR" "$SSH_HOST_KEYS_DIR"
 
 # Generate host keys if they don't exist
 for key_type in rsa ed25519; do
-    key_file="$SSH_HOST_KEYS_DIR/ssh_host_${key_type}_key"
-    echo "Generating $key_type host key..."
-    ssh-keygen -t "$key_type" -f "$key_file" -N "" -q
+    if [ -f "$SSH_HOST_KEYS_DIR/ssh_host_${key_type}_key" ]; then
+        echo "Host key for $key_type already exists, skipping generation."
+        continue
+    else
+        key_file="$SSH_HOST_KEYS_DIR/ssh_host_${key_type}_key"
+        echo "Generating $key_type host key..."
+        ssh-keygen -t "$key_type" -f "$key_file" -N "" -q
+    fi 
 done
 
-# Add default ssh password if not set
-echo "$SSH_USER:$SSH_PASSWORD" | chpasswd
 
 cat >"$SSH_CONFIG_FILE" <<EOF
 Port $SSH_PORT