diff --git a/n2vc/n2vc_conn.py b/n2vc/n2vc_conn.py
index eada20b..ad0dc28 100644
--- a/n2vc/n2vc_conn.py
+++ b/n2vc/n2vc_conn.py
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@
         # generate private/public key-pair
         self.private_key_path = None
         self.public_key_path = None
-        self.get_public_key()
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     async def get_status(self, namespace: str, yaml_format: bool = True):
diff --git a/n2vc/tests/unit/test_n2vc_juju_conn.py b/n2vc/tests/unit/test_n2vc_juju_conn.py
index 64b93cc..bd3cb56 100644
--- a/n2vc/tests/unit/test_n2vc_juju_conn.py
+++ b/n2vc/tests/unit/test_n2vc_juju_conn.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 
 import asyncio
 import logging
+from unittest.mock import Mock
+
+
 import asynctest
 from n2vc.n2vc_juju_conn import N2VCJujuConnector
 from osm_common import fslocal
@@ -51,6 +54,7 @@
 
         logging.disable(logging.CRITICAL)
 
+        N2VCJujuConnector.get_public_key = Mock()
         self.n2vc = N2VCJujuConnector(
             db=db,
             fs=fslocal.FsLocal(),
@@ -61,6 +65,7 @@
             vca_config=vca_config,
             on_update_db=None,
         )
+        N2VCJujuConnector.get_public_key.assert_not_called()
 
 
 @asynctest.mock.patch("n2vc.libjuju.Libjuju.get_metrics")