diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/explorer/entry b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/explorer/entry
index ccab0afc..aca0f2b9 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/explorer/entry
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/explorer/entry
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ type_and_key="$(tr ' ' '\n' < "$__object/parameter/key"| awk '/^(ssh|ecdsa)-[^ ]
 if [ -n "${type_and_key}" ]
 then
     file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
+    test -e "$file" || exit 0
 
     # get any entries that match the type and key
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/gencode-remote
index f37aa565..61c77fb9 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_key/gencode-remote
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ tmpfile=\$(mktemp ${file}.cdist.XXXXXXXXXX)
 # preserve ownership and permissions of existing file
 if [ -f "$file" ]; then
    cp -p "$file" "\$tmpfile"
+   grep -v -F -x '$line' '$file' >\$tmpfile
 fi
-grep -v -F -x '$line' '$file' > \$tmpfile || true
-mv -f "\$tmpfile" "$file"
+cat "\$tmpfile" >"$file"
 DONE
 }