diff --git a/install-koji-farm.sh b/install-koji-farm.sh
index 83de76c..432e89e 100644
--- a/install-koji-farm.sh
+++ b/install-koji-farm.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ fi
 
 if [[ ! $KOJI_WEB_FQDN = $KOJI_HUB_FQDN ]] ; then
     # check that I can conmnect
-    if [ ! nc -z $KOJI_WEB_FQDN 22 2>/dev/null ] ; then
+    RESP=$(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"
@@ -61,7 +62,8 @@ if [[ ! $KOJI_WEB_FQDN = $KOJI_HUB_FQDN ]] ; then
 fi
 for FQDN in ${KOJI_BUILD_FQDNS} ; do
     # check that I can conmnect
-    if [ ! nc -z $FQDN 22 2>/dev/null ] ; then
+    RESP=$(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"
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ if [[ $KOJI_WEB_FQDN = $KOJI_HUB_FQDN ]] ; then
 else
     # deploy remotely to $KOJI_WEB_FQDN
     # check that I can conmnect
-    if [ ! nc -z $KOJI_WEB_FQDN 22 2>/dev/null ] ; then
+    if [ ! nc -z $KOJI_WEB_FQDN 22 ] ; then
         echo "I cannot connect to $KOJI_WEB_FQDN! Is it online? "
         echo "Options:"
         echo "- turn on the server"
diff --git a/koji-setup/koji-add-builder.sh b/koji-setup/koji-add-builder.sh
index 8304fa5..31d9e9b 100644
--- a/koji-setup/koji-add-builder.sh
+++ b/koji-setup/koji-add-builder.sh
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ if [ -z $KOJI_BUILD_FQDN ] ; then
     KOJI_BUILD_FQDN=$KOJI_HUB_FQDN
 fi
 
-if [ ! nc -z $KOJI_BUILD_FQDN 22 2>/dev/null ] ; then
+RESP=$(nc -z $KOJI_BUILD_FQDN 22 2>&1 | grep succeeded)
+if [[ -z $RESP ]] ; then
         echo "I cannot connect to $KOJI_BUILD_FQDN! Is it online? "
         echo "Options:"
         echo "- turn on the server"