diff --git a/plugins/ssh-keys/functions b/plugins/ssh-keys/functions
index f18200830..8e4560fa7 100755
--- a/plugins/ssh-keys/functions
+++ b/plugins/ssh-keys/functions
@@ -14,9 +14,14 @@ verify_ssh_key_file() {
   declare desc="Test that public key is valid"
   [[ -s ${DOKKU_ROOT}/.ssh/authorized_keys ]] || dokku_log_fail "No public keys found."
   local key line=0
+  local TMP_KEY_FILE
+  TMP_KEY_FILE=$(mktemp "/tmp/${FUNCNAME[0]}.XXXX")
+  trap 'rm -rf "$TMP_KEY_FILE" >/dev/null' RETURN INT TERM EXIT
+
   while read -r key; do
     line=$((line + 1))
-    ssh-keygen -l -f /dev/stdin <<<"$key" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "${DOKKU_ROOT}/.ssh/authorized_keys line $line failed ssh-keygen check."
+    echo "$key" >"$TMP_KEY_FILE"
+    ssh-keygen -lf "$TMP_KEY_FILE" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "${DOKKU_ROOT}/.ssh/authorized_keys line $line failed ssh-keygen check."
   done <"${DOKKU_ROOT}/.ssh/authorized_keys"
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/ssh-keys/subcommands/add b/plugins/ssh-keys/subcommands/add
index ecd6c9746..89242b8c3 100755
--- a/plugins/ssh-keys/subcommands/add
+++ b/plugins/ssh-keys/subcommands/add
@@ -7,22 +7,33 @@ source "$PLUGIN_AVAILABLE_PATH/ssh-keys/functions"
 add_keys() {
   declare desc="add a new key via sshcommand"
   local cmd="ssh-keys:add"
-  shift
-  local name="$1" key_file="$2" key_contents key_from_pipe
-  [[ -p /dev/stdin ]] && read -r key_from_pipe
-  if [[ -n "$key_from_pipe" ]]; then
-    ssh-keygen -lf /dev/stdin <<<"$key_from_pipe" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "Key piped in is not a valid ssh public key"
-    key_contents="$key_from_pipe"
-  elif [[ -n "$key_file" ]]; then
-    key_contents="$(cat "$key_file")"
-    ssh-keygen -lf /dev/stdin <<<"$key_contents" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "Key from file is not a valid ssh public key"
+  [[ "$1" == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
+  declare NAME="$1" KEY_FILE="$2"
+  local TMP_KEY_FILE
+  TMP_KEY_FILE=$(mktemp "/tmp/${FUNCNAME[0]}.XXXX")
+  trap 'rm -rf "$TMP_KEY_FILE" >/dev/null' RETURN INT TERM EXIT
+
+  if [[ -n "$KEY_FILE" ]]; then
+    true
+  elif [[ -p /dev/stdin ]]; then
+    local key_contents
+    read -r key_contents
+    echo "$key_contents" >"$TMP_KEY_FILE"
+    KEY_FILE="$TMP_KEY_FILE"
+  else
+    dokku_log_fail "No key specified via file or pipe"
   fi
-  [[ -n "$name" && -n "$key_contents" ]] || dokku_log_fail "Two arguments are required if not piping, ie: dokku ssh-keys:add <NAME> <KEY_FILE>"
-  local count="$(wc -l <<<"$key_contents")"
-  [ "$count" -eq 1 ] || dokku_log_fail 'Too many keys provided, set one per invocation of dokku ssh-keys:add <NAME> <KEY_FILE>'
+
+  if [[ ! -s "$KEY_FILE" ]]; then
+    dokku_log_fail "Empty key was specified"
+  fi
+
+  local count="$(wc -l "$KEY_FILE" | awk '{ print $1; }')"
+  [[ "$count" -eq 1 ]] || dokku_log_fail "Too many keys provided, set one per invocation of dokku ssh-keys:add <NAME> <KEY_FILE>"
+  ssh-keygen -lf "$KEY_FILE" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "Key specified in is not a valid ssh public key"
   create_ssh_key_file
   verify_ssh_key_exists
-  echo "$key_contents" | sshcommand acl-add dokku "$name" || dokku_log_fail "sshcommand returned an error: $?"
+  sshcommand acl-add dokku "$NAME" "$KEY_FILE" || dokku_log_fail "sshcommand returned an error: $?"
   verify_ssh_key_file
 }