diff --git a/stack/base/before-notebook.d/10_prepare-home-config.sh b/stack/base/before-notebook.d/10_prepare-home-config.sh
index 5c7eea9e..567d6659 100644
--- a/stack/base/before-notebook.d/10_prepare-home-config.sh
+++ b/stack/base/before-notebook.d/10_prepare-home-config.sh
@@ -6,20 +6,6 @@ if [[ ! -f  /home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc ]]; then
     cp /etc/skel/.bashrc /home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc
 fi
 
-# Set sshagent by source load-singlesshagent.sh script
-# append the command text of source to .bashrc if the script /opt/bin/load-singlesshagen.sh is present
-# and the command text is not already present in .bashrc
-header="# Load singlesshagent on shell startup."
-if [[ -f /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh ]] && ! grep -q "${header}" /home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc; then
-    cat >> "/home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc" <<- EOF
-
-${header}
-if [ -f /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh ]; then
-    source /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh
-fi
-EOF
-fi
-
 if [[ ! -f  /home/${NB_USER}/.profile ]]; then
     cp /etc/skel/.profile /home/${NB_USER}/.profile
 fi
@@ -40,12 +26,23 @@ fi
 mkdir -p --mode=0700 /home/${NB_USER}/.ssh && \
     touch /home/${NB_USER}/.ssh/known_hosts
 
-
 if [[ ! -f  /home/${NB_USER}/.ssh/id_rsa ]]; then
   # Generate ssh key that works with `paramiko`
   # See: https://aiida.readthedocs.io/projects/aiida-core/en/latest/get_started/computers.html#remote-computer-requirements
   ssh-keygen -f /home/${NB_USER}/.ssh/id_rsa -t rsa -b 4096 -m PEM -N ''
 fi
 
-# Start the ssh-agent.
-eval `ssh-agent`
+# Set sshagent by source load-singlesshagent.sh script
+# append the command text of source to .bashrc if the script /opt/bin/load-singlesshagen.sh is present
+# and the command text is not already present in .bashrc
+header="# Load singlesshagent on shell startup."
+if [[ -f /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh ]] && ! grep -q "${header}" /home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc; then
+    cat >> "/home/${NB_USER}/.bashrc" <<- EOF
+
+${header}
+if [ -f /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh ]; then
+    source /opt/bin/load-singlesshagent.sh
+    ssh-add /home/${NB_USER}/.ssh/id_rsa 2> /dev/null
+fi
+EOF
+fi