diff --git a/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go b/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
index bc4c78056a..b65ac9d8a3 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
@@ -185,9 +185,9 @@ func GetHostDockerSocketPath() string {
 	return filepath.Join(MachineInstanceDir, DefaultName, "docker.sock")
 }
 
-// For backward compatibility to v 1.20.0
-func GetRsaPrivateKeyPath() string {
-	return filepath.Join(MachineInstanceDir, DefaultName, "id_rsa")
+// For backward compatibility to v 2.40.0
+func GetECDSAPrivateKeyPath() string {
+	return filepath.Join(MachineInstanceDir, DefaultName, "id_ecdsa")
 }
 
 func GetKubeAdminPasswordPath() string {
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/ip.go b/pkg/crc/machine/ip.go
index 22ca8bbb19..f03b2a8d15 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/ip.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/ip.go
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ func (client *client) ConnectionDetails() (*types.ConnectionDetails, error) {
 		IP:          ip,
 		SSHPort:     vm.SSHPort(),
 		SSHUsername: constants.DefaultSSHUser,
-		SSHKeys:     []string{constants.GetPrivateKeyPath(), constants.GetRsaPrivateKeyPath(), vm.bundle.GetSSHKeyPath()},
+		SSHKeys:     []string{constants.GetPrivateKeyPath(), constants.GetECDSAPrivateKeyPath(), vm.bundle.GetSSHKeyPath()},
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/virtualmachine.go b/pkg/crc/machine/virtualmachine.go
index f8af367c55..ff9c89eae2 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/virtualmachine.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/virtualmachine.go
@@ -106,5 +106,5 @@ func (vm *virtualMachine) SSHRunner() (*ssh.Runner, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return ssh.CreateRunner(ip, vm.SSHPort(), constants.GetPrivateKeyPath(), constants.GetRsaPrivateKeyPath(), vm.bundle.GetSSHKeyPath())
+	return ssh.CreateRunner(ip, vm.SSHPort(), constants.GetPrivateKeyPath(), constants.GetECDSAPrivateKeyPath(), vm.bundle.GetSSHKeyPath())
 }