diff --git a/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/routers/dashboard.py b/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/routers/dashboard.py
index 4d673d6..0e73c6f 100644
--- a/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/routers/dashboard.py
+++ b/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/routers/dashboard.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def get_monitoring_overview(
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Return one lightweight monitoring row per configured machine."""
     machines = store.list_machines()
-    rows = [collect_machine_overview(machine) for machine in machines]
+    rows = [collect_machine_overview(machine, store) for machine in machines]
     poller = get_monitoring_poller().snapshot()
     enabled_count = sum(1 for machine in machines if machine.get("enabled"))
     logger.info("Dashboard monitoring machines=%s enabled=%s", len(machines), enabled_count)
diff --git a/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/services/monitoring_actions.py b/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/services/monitoring_actions.py
index 6709415..afd53f0 100644
--- a/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/services/monitoring_actions.py
+++ b/backend/src/media_library_viewer_api/services/monitoring_actions.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from media_library_viewer_api.services.settings_store import SettingsStore
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def build_machine_client(machine: dict[str, Any]):
+def build_machine_client(machine: dict[str, Any], store: SettingsStore):
     """Build the appropriate command client for a machine definition."""
     mode = str(machine.get("mode") or "local").strip().lower()
     if mode == "local":
@@ -41,12 +41,23 @@ def build_machine_client(machine: dict[str, Any]):
     key_directory = str(machine.get("key_directory") or "").strip()
     key_name = str(machine.get("key_name") or "").strip()
     key_path = f"{key_directory}/{key_name}" if key_directory and key_name else None
+    private_key = str(machine.get("ssh_private_key") or "")
+    passphrase = str(machine.get("ssh_private_key_passphrase") or "")
+    ssh_key_id = str(machine.get("ssh_key_id") or "").strip()
+    if ssh_key_id:
+        ssh_key = store.get_ssh_key(ssh_key_id)
+        if ssh_key:
+            private_key = str(ssh_key.get("private_key") or private_key)
+            passphrase = str(ssh_key.get("passphrase") or passphrase)
+
     settings = get_settings()
     return RemoteSSHClient(
         host=str(machine.get("host") or ""),
         username=str(machine.get("username") or ""),
         port=int(machine.get("port") or 22),
         key_filename=key_path,
+        private_key=private_key or None,
+        private_key_passphrase=passphrase or None,
         password=str(machine.get("password") or "") or None,
         known_hosts_path=str(settings.ssh_known_hosts_file),
     )
@@ -96,7 +107,7 @@ def run_machine_operation(
 ) -> Any:
     """Run a machine operation, record history, and optionally raise on failure."""
     started = time.perf_counter()
-    client = build_machine_client(machine)
+    client = build_machine_client(machine, store)
     try:
         result = callback(client)
         duration_ms = int((time.perf_counter() - started) * 1000)
@@ -202,7 +213,13 @@ def _summarize_metric_samples(samples: list[dict[str, Any]], field: str) -> dict
     }
 
 
-def collect_machine_overview(machine: dict[str, Any], *, metrics_window_seconds: int = 600, metrics_limit: int = 70_000) -> dict[str, Any]:
+def collect_machine_overview(
+    machine: dict[str, Any],
+    store: SettingsStore,
+    *,
+    metrics_window_seconds: int = 600,
+    metrics_limit: int = 70_000,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Collect a lightweight machine overview without recording history."""
     overview: dict[str, Any] = {
         "machine": {k: machine.get(k) for k in ("id", "name", "mode", "enabled", "host", "port", "username", "media_root", "path_prefix", "notes")},
@@ -222,7 +239,7 @@ def collect_machine_overview(machine: dict[str, Any], *, metrics_window_seconds:
         "disk": None,
     }
     try:
-        client: Any = build_machine_client(machine)
+        client: Any = build_machine_client(machine, store)
     except Exception as exc:
         overview["status_error"] = str(exc)
         overview["metrics_error"] = str(exc)