diff --git a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
index a200bc4..3f44bca 100644
--- a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
+++ b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
       -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no
       -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null
       -o NumberOfPasswordPrompts=1
-      -o ConnectTimeout=30
+      -o ConnectTimeout=15
 
     rmq_host: "{{ lookup('env','RMQ_HOST') | default('10.210.12.2', true) }}"
     rmq_port: "{{ lookup('env','RMQ_PORT') | default('15672', true) }}"
@@ -602,18 +602,33 @@
       when: tunnel_ok|default(false)
       delegate_to: localhost
       shell: |
-        for f in basicpass basicpass2; do
-          PORT="{{ _local_port }}"
-          if sshpass -f "$f" ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o PubkeyAuthentication=no \
-               -p "$PORT" root@127.0.0.1 "echo ok" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "$f"; exit 0
-          fi
-        done
+        PORT="{{ _local_port }}"
+        # First try: basicpass
+        if timeout {{ ssh_timeout }}s sshpass -f basicpass ssh {{ ssh_opts_common }} \
+            -o ConnectionAttempts=1 -o ConnectTimeout={{ ssh_timeout }} \
+            -p "$PORT" "{{ dev2_ssh_user }}@127.0.0.1" "echo ok" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          echo basicpass
+          exit 0
+        fi
+
+        # Second try: basicpass2
+        if timeout {{ ssh_timeout }}s sshpass -f basicpass2 ssh {{ ssh_opts_common }} \
+            -o ConnectionAttempts=1 -o ConnectTimeout={{ ssh_timeout }} \
+            -p "$PORT" "{{ dev2_ssh_user }}@127.0.0.1" "echo ok" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          echo basicpass2
+          exit 0
+        fi
+
+        # Both failed
+        echo NONE
         exit 1
+      args:
+        executable: /bin/bash
       register: dev2_auth
       failed_when: false
       ignore_errors: true
 
+
     - name: Set dev2_passfile_used
       delegate_to: localhost
       set_fact: