diff --git a/install-koji-farm.sh b/install-koji-farm.sh
index 432e89e..8e9f9ea 100644
--- a/install-koji-farm.sh
+++ b/install-koji-farm.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,37 @@ if [ $DEBUG ] ; then
     QUIET="-v"
 fi
 
+echo "Checking connectivity..."
+# install any required packages
+if [[ -z $(dnf list installed | grep epel-release) ]] ; then
+    dnf install -y epel-release $QUIET
+fi
+if [[ -z $(dnf list installed | grep netcat) ]] ; then
+    dnf install -y netcat $QUIET
+fi
+
+if [[ ! $KOJI_WEB_FQDN = $KOJI_HUB_FQDN ]] ; then
+    # check that I can conmnect
+    if [[ -z $(nc -z $KOJI_WEB_FQDN 22 2>&1 | grep succeeded) ]] ; then
+        echo "I cannot connect to the web server at $KOJI_WEB_FQDN! Is it online? "
+        echo "Options:"
+        echo "- turn on the server"
+        echo "- add this server into the /etc/hosts file on this server"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
+for FQDN in ${KOJI_BUILD_FQDNS} ; do
+    # check that I can conmnect
+    if [[ -z $(nc -z $FQDN 22 2>&1 | grep succeeded) ]] ; then
+        echo "I cannot connect to builder at $FQDN! Is it online? "
+        echo "Options:"
+        echo "- turn on the server"
+        echo "- add this server into the /etc/hosts file on this server"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
 # pull down the deploy scripts
 SCRIPT_GIT="https://src.koozali.org/smedev/smeserver-koji/raw/branch/master/koji-setup"
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(echo ~)/bin"
@@ -41,37 +72,6 @@ curl $SILENT $SCRIPT_GIT/koji-bootstrap-build.sh > $SCRIPT_DIR/koji-bootstrap-bu
 curl $SILENT $SCRIPT_GIT/koji-add-user.sh > $SCRIPT_DIR/koji-add-user.sh
 chmod o+x $SCRIPT_DIR/*.sh
 
-# install any required packages
-if [[ -z $(dnf list installed | grep epel-release) ]] ; then
-    dnf install -y epel-release $QUIET
-fi
-if [[ -z $(dnf list installed | grep netcat) ]] ; then
-    dnf install -y netcat $QUIET
-fi
-
-if [[ ! $KOJI_WEB_FQDN = $KOJI_HUB_FQDN ]] ; then
-    # check that I can conmnect
-    RESP=$(nc -z $KOJI_WEB_FQDN 22 2>&1 | grep succeeded)
-    if [[ -z $RESP ]] ; then
-        echo "I cannot connect to the web server at $KOJI_WEB_FQDN! Is it online? "
-        echo "Options:"
-        echo "- turn on the server"
-        echo "- add this server into the /etc/hosts file on this server"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-fi
-for FQDN in ${KOJI_BUILD_FQDNS} ; do
-    # check that I can conmnect
-    RESP=$(nc -z $FQDN 22 2>&1 | grep succeeded)
-    if [[ -z $RESP ]] ; then
-        echo "I cannot connect to builder at $FQDN! Is it online? "
-        echo "Options:"
-        echo "- turn on the server"
-        echo "- add this server into the /etc/hosts file on this server"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-done
-
 # ask for required parameters (ssh settings and build server FQDN)
 echo "Please enter the following details for generating your SSL keys"
 while true ; do