diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de48121..1ea447c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,13 +40,12 @@ nix build '.#nixosConfigurations.test-vm.config.system.build.vm'
 ./result/bin/run-nixos-vm
 
 # In another terminal, get the ed25519 SSH hostkey, then stop the VM with CTRL-c
-ssh-keyscan -p 2222 127.0.0.1 | grep ssh-ed25519
-...
-[127.0.0.1]:2222 ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIMdCOs16W731ftPDqO+X6RZVSdwVVNw2Xfmcpk5pzbeO
+
+SSH_HOST_KEY=$(ssh-keyscan -p 2222 127.0.0.1 | grep '\[127.0.0.1\]:2222 ssh-ed25519' | awk '{print $2 " " $3}')
 
 # Edit secrets.nix and add the SSH hostkey to machine 'test-vm', starting with 'ssh-ed25519 ...'
 sed --in-place \
-  's|test-vm = .*|test-vm = "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIMdCOs16W731ftPDqO+X6RZVSdwVVNw2Xfmcpk5pzbeO host@test-vm";|' \
+  "s|test-vm = .*|test-vm = \"$SSH_HOST_KEY host@test-vm\";|" \
   secrets/secrets.nix
 
 # Rekey the secrets with agenix