diff --git a/app.sh b/app.sh
index ee838dd..a8700f2 100644
--- a/app.sh
+++ b/app.sh
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ while true ; do
       exit 2
     fi
     # check if target is reachable
-    if ping -c1 -W1 "${FQDN}" > /dev/null; then
+    if ssh -n -q -i "$SSH_KEY_PATH" -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o BatchMode=yes -o ConnectTimeout=5 "${USERNAME}@${FQDN}" ; then
       echo "[INFO] export $FQDN config..."
       ssh -n -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i "$SSH_KEY_PATH" "${USERNAME}@${FQDN}" "/export show-sensitive" > "config_${FQDN}.rsc" 2> /dev/null
       # entferne Datumszeile