diff --git a/scripts/vortex/setup-ssh.sh b/scripts/vortex/setup-ssh.sh
index 05b762823..17e835ff2 100755
--- a/scripts/vortex/setup-ssh.sh
+++ b/scripts/vortex/setup-ssh.sh
@@ -87,9 +87,11 @@ fi
 note "Using SSH key file ${file}."
 export "${file_var}=${file}"
 
-if [ -z "${SSH_AGENT_PID:-}" ] || ! ps -p "${SSH_AGENT_PID}"; then
-  note "Starting SSH agent."
-  eval "$(ssh-agent)"
+if [ -z "${SSH_AGENT_PID:-}" ]; then
+  if ! ps aux | grep "[s]sh-agent" | awk '{print $2}' >/dev/null; then
+    note "Starting SSH agent."
+    eval "$(ssh-agent)"
+  fi
 fi
 
 if ssh-add -l | grep -q "${file}"; then