diff --git a/lib/sshyp.py b/lib/sshyp.py
index 14974c0..620452a 100755
--- a/lib/sshyp.py
+++ b/lib/sshyp.py
@@ -260,16 +260,16 @@ def line_edit(_lines, _edit_data, _edit_line):
 
 
 # attempts to connect to the user's server via ssh to register the device for syncing
-def copy_id_check(_port, _username_ssh, _ip, _client_device_id, _sshyp_data):
+def copy_id_check(_port, _username_ssh, _ip, _client_device_id, _identity, _sshyp_data):
     from stweak import write_config
     if not _sshyp_data.has_section('CLIENT-ONLINE'):
         _sshyp_data.add_section('CLIENT-ONLINE')
     try:
-        run(('ssh', '-o', 'ConnectTimeout=3', '-i', identity, '-p', _port, f"{_username_ssh}@{_ip}",
+        run(('ssh', '-o', 'ConnectTimeout=3', '-i', _identity, '-p', _port, f"{_username_ssh}@{_ip}",
              f'python3 -c \'from pathlib import Path; Path("/home/{_username_ssh}/.config/sshyp/devices/'
              f'{_client_device_id}").touch(mode=0o400, exist_ok=True)\''), stderr=DEVNULL, check=True)
     except CalledProcessError:
-        print(f'\n\u001b[38;5;9mwarning: ssh connection could not be made - ensure the public key ({identity}) is '
+        print(f'\n\u001b[38;5;9mwarning: ssh connection could not be made - ensure the public key ({_identity}) is '
               'registered on the remote server and that the entered ip, port, and username are correct\n\nsyncing '
               'functionality will be disabled until this is addressed\u001b[0m\n')
         _sshyp_data.set('CLIENT-ONLINE', 'ssh_error', 'true')
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                         client_device_id = listdir(f"{home}/.config/sshyp/devices")[0]
                         ssh_error = sshyp_data.getboolean('CLIENT-ONLINE', 'ssh_error')
                         if ssh_error:
-                            ssh_error = copy_id_check(port, username_ssh, ip, client_device_id, sshyp_data)
+                            ssh_error = copy_id_check(port, username_ssh, ip, client_device_id, identity, sshyp_data)
             except (FileNotFoundError, NoSectionError, NoOptionError):
                 print(f"\n{73*'!'}")
                 print("not all necessary configurations have been made - please run 'sshyp init'")
diff --git a/lib/stweak.py b/lib/stweak.py
index e26f035..0c2517d 100644
--- a/lib/stweak.py
+++ b/lib/stweak.py
@@ -184,11 +184,11 @@ def ssh_config():
     sshyp_data.set('SSHYNC', 'remote_dir', f"/home/{_username_ssh}/.local/share/sshyp/")
     sshyp_data.set('SSHYNC', 'identity_file', _ssh_key)
     write_config()
-    return _iport[1], _username_ssh, _iport[0]
+    return _iport[1], _username_ssh, _iport[0], _ssh_key
 
 
 # device id configuration
-def dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port):
+def dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity):
     from sshyp import copy_id_check, string_gen
     _device_id_prefix = curses_text('name this device:\n\n\n\n\n(ctrl+g/enter to confirm)\n\nimportant: this '
                                     'id must be unique amongst your client devices\n\nthis is used to keep track of '
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ def dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port):
         remove(f"{home}/.config/sshyp/devices/{_id}")
     open(f"{home}/.config/sshyp/devices/{_device_id}", 'w')
     # test server connection and attempt to register device id
-    copy_id_check(_ip, _username_ssh, _port, _device_id, sshyp_data)
+    copy_id_check(_ip, _username_ssh, _port, _device_id, _identity, sshyp_data)
 
 
 # quick-unlock configuration
@@ -464,15 +464,15 @@ def global_menu(_scr, _device_type, _top_message):
                     if not sshyp_data.has_option('CLIENT-ONLINE', 'quick_unlock_enabled'):
                         quick_unlock_config(True)
                     # set to None to check if modified later
-                    _ip, _username_ssh, _port = None, None, None
+                    _ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity = None, None, None, None
                     # ...and there is no sshync config present
                     if not sshyp_data.has_section('SSHYNC'):
-                        _ip, _username_ssh, _port = ssh_config()
+                        _ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity = ssh_config()
                     # ...and there is no device ID present
                     if not listdir(f"{home}/.config/sshyp/devices"):
                         if None in (_ip, _username_ssh, _port):
-                            _ip, _username_ssh, _port = ssh_config()
-                        dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port)
+                            _ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity = ssh_config()
+                        dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity)
                     # ...or ssh_error is missing
                     elif not sshyp_data.has_option('CLIENT-ONLINE', 'ssh_error'):
                         sshyp_data.set('CLIENT-ONLINE', 'ssh_error', '1')    
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ def global_menu(_scr, _device_type, _top_message):
             if not sshyp_data.has_section('SSHYNC'):
                 ssh_config()
             dev_id_config(sshyp_data.get('SSHYNC', 'ip'), sshyp_data.get('SSHYNC', 'user'),
-                          sshyp_data.get('SSHYNC', 'port'))
+                          sshyp_data.get('SSHYNC', 'port'), sshyp_data.get('SSHYNC', 'identity_file'))
         elif _choice == 4:
             editor_config(False)
         elif _choice == 5:
@@ -555,10 +555,10 @@ def initial_setup(_scr):
         if _dev_sync_types[1] != 'true':
 
             # ssh+sshync configuration
-            _ip, _username_ssh, _port = ssh_config()
+            _ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity = ssh_config()
 
             # device id configuration
-            dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port)
+            dev_id_config(_ip, _username_ssh, _port, _identity)
 
         # PORT START CLIPTOOL
         # check for clipboard tool and display warning if missing