diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
index 7e49b4a..1703b37 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ function MachineEditor({
 	isValidatingSSH,
 	sshValidationMessage,
 	sshValidationError,
+	sshValidationStatus,
 }: {
 	title: string;
 	hint?: string;
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ function MachineEditor({
 	isValidatingSSH: boolean;
 	sshValidationMessage: string;
 	sshValidationError: string;
+	sshValidationStatus: string;
 }) {
 	const draft = machine;
 	const setDraft = onChange;
@@ -429,10 +431,15 @@ function MachineEditor({
 					{!isLocal && (
 						<Stack spacing={1}>
 							<Alert severity="info">
-								Validate SSH before saving: this records the first trusted host key
-								in the backend-managed known_hosts file, then checks SSH auth.
+								Validate SSH before saving: this records the first trusted host
+								key in the backend-managed known_hosts file, then checks SSH
+								auth.
 							</Alert>
-							<Stack direction="row" spacing={1} sx={{ flexWrap: "wrap" }}>
+							<Stack
+								direction="row"
+								spacing={1}
+								sx={{ flexWrap: "wrap", alignItems: "center" }}
+							>
 								<Button
 									variant="outlined"
 									onClick={onValidateSSH}
@@ -446,6 +453,9 @@ function MachineEditor({
 										? "Validating SSH..."
 										: "Validate SSH + trust host"}
 								</Button>
+								<Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary">
+									SSH status: {sshValidationStatus || "Not tested yet"}
+								</Typography>
 							</Stack>
 							{sshValidationMessage && (
 								<Alert severity="success">{sshValidationMessage}</Alert>
@@ -578,7 +588,11 @@ function SSHKeyManager({ sshKeys }: { sshKeys: SSHKey[] }) {
 							/>
 						</Grid>
 					</Grid>
-					<Stack direction="row" spacing={1} sx={{ flexWrap: "wrap" }}>
+					<Stack
+						direction="row"
+						spacing={1}
+						sx={{ flexWrap: "wrap", alignItems: "center" }}
+					>
 						<Button
 							variant="contained"
 							disabled={saveKey.isPending}
@@ -870,6 +884,7 @@ export function Settings() {
 	const [tab, setTab] = useState<SettingsTab>("machines");
 	const [sshValidationMessage, setSSHValidationMessage] = useState("");
 	const [sshValidationError, setSSHValidationError] = useState("");
+	const [sshValidationStatus, setSSHValidationStatus] = useState("");
 	const [machineDialogOpen, setMachineDialogOpen] = useState(false);
 	const [machineDraft, setMachineDraft] = useState<MonitoringMachineInput>(
 		emptyMachine(),
@@ -892,6 +907,7 @@ export function Settings() {
 	const clearSSHValidation = () => {
 		setSSHValidationMessage("");
 		setSSHValidationError("");
+		setSSHValidationStatus("");
 	};
 	const beginLocal = () => {
 		clearSSHValidation();
@@ -931,10 +947,25 @@ export function Settings() {
 		try {
 			const result = await testMachineSSH.mutateAsync(machineDraft);
 			setSSHValidationMessage(result.message);
-		} catch (error) {
-			setSSHValidationError(
-				error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+			setSSHValidationStatus(
+				result.known_hosts_updated
+					? "Host key trusted and SSH auth succeeded."
+					: "Host key already trusted and SSH auth succeeded.",
 			);
+		} catch (error) {
+			const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+			setSSHValidationError(message);
+			const lowered = message.toLowerCase();
+			if (lowered.includes("protocol banner")) {
+				setSSHValidationStatus("SSH banner not received.");
+			} else if (
+				lowered.includes("no authentication methods available") ||
+				lowered.includes("authentication failed")
+			) {
+				setSSHValidationStatus("SSH authentication failed.");
+			} else {
+				setSSHValidationStatus("SSH validation failed.");
+			}
 		}
 	};
 	return (
@@ -1283,6 +1314,7 @@ export function Settings() {
 						isValidatingSSH={testMachineSSH.isPending}
 						sshValidationMessage={sshValidationMessage}
 						sshValidationError={sshValidationError}
+						sshValidationStatus={sshValidationStatus}
 					/>
 				</DialogContent>
 				<DialogFooter