diff --git a/containers/types.go b/containers/types.go
index e9159be..676ec96 100644
--- a/containers/types.go
+++ b/containers/types.go
@@ -236,7 +236,16 @@ func (c *Container) SetPassword(password string) error {
 
 // Generate SSH keys and copies it into authorized keys
 // Returns true if the key was generated in this call and error if there is any.
+// The container has to run for this to work.
 func (c *Container) GenerateDeploySSHKeys() (bool, error) {
+	status, err := c.Status()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	if status.Status != "running" {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
 	driver := c.getDriver()
 
 	privateKey, pubKey, _ := c.GetDeploySSHKeys()
@@ -244,7 +253,7 @@ func (c *Container) GenerateDeploySSHKeys() (bool, error) {
 		return false, nil
 	}
 
-	_, err := driver.Exec(c.App.Name, []string{"mkdir", "-p", "/srv/.ssh"}, "", []string{}, true)
+	_, err = driver.Exec(c.App.Name, []string{"mkdir", "-p", "/srv/.ssh"}, "", []string{}, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
@@ -264,7 +273,16 @@ func (c *Container) GenerateDeploySSHKeys() (bool, error) {
 
 // Generate SSH keys and copies it into authorized keys
 // Return private key, public key and error.
+// The container has to run for this to work.
 func (c *Container) GetDeploySSHKeys() (string, string, error) {
+	status, err := c.Status()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", err
+	}
+	if status.Status != "running" {
+		return "", "", nil
+	}
+
 	driver := c.getDriver()
 
 	privateKey, err := driver.Exec(c.App.Name, []string{"cat", "/srv/.ssh/" + deployKeyPrefix + "_id_" + deployKeyType}, "", []string{}, true)
@@ -284,7 +302,16 @@ func (c *Container) GetDeploySSHKeys() (string, string, error) {
 }
 
 // Return host key without hostname
+// The container has to run for this to work.
 func (c *Container) GetHostKey() (string, error) {
+	status, err := c.Status()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if status.Status != "running" {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+
 	driver := c.getDriver()
 
 	hostKeyRaw, err := driver.Exec(c.App.Name, []string{"ssh-keyscan", "localhost"}, "", []string{}, true)