diff --git a/roles/base/tasks/system_setup/cron.yml b/roles/base/tasks/system_setup/cron.yml
index 1de5df2..0d9c7ff 100644
--- a/roles/base/tasks/system_setup/cron.yml
+++ b/roles/base/tasks/system_setup/cron.yml
@@ -40,12 +40,21 @@
     job: '[[ -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_* ]] || ssh-keygen -A'
     state: absent
 
-- name: correct crontab for reboot | add
+- name: correct crontab for reboot | remove
   become: true
   become_user: root
   cron:
     name: "generate SSH key on reboot, if missing"
     job: "[[ -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_* ]] || ssh-keygen -A && systemctl restart {{ ssh_service }}"
+    state: absent
+    special_time: reboot
+
+- name: correct crontab for reboot | add
+  become: true
+  become_user: root
+  cron:
+    name: "generate SSH key on reboot, if missing"
+    job: "KEYS=(/etc/ssh/ssh_host_*_key); (( ${#KEYS[@]} )) || ( ssh-keygen -A && systemctl restart {{ ssh_service }} )"
     state: present
     special_time: reboot