diff --git a/seafbackup.sh b/seafbackup.sh
index 0d08e07..95decb3 100755
--- a/seafbackup.sh
+++ b/seafbackup.sh
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ export BORG_BASE_DIR="${borgBaseDir%/}"
 ## check path to SSH keyfile
 if [ -z "${borgSSHKey}" ]; then
     badDetails empty 'borgSSHKey'
-elif [ ! -d "${borgSSHKey}" ]; then
+elif [ ! -f "${borgSSHKey}" ]; then
     badDetails dne 'borgSSHKey'
 fi
 printf "${magenta}details:borgSSHKey ${norm}-- ${ok}[OK]${norm}\n" \