diff --git a/mcp/server.py b/mcp/server.py
index c483746..89aeccb 100755
--- a/mcp/server.py
+++ b/mcp/server.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ HOSTS_DIR = CONTEXT_DIR / "hosts"
 # hubris validates each command against a strict read-only allowlist.
 SSH_IDENTITY = os.environ.get("HOMELAB_MCP_SSH_KEY", "/etc/homelab-mcp/mcp-reader.key")
 SSH_USER = os.environ.get("HOMELAB_MCP_SSH_USER", "root")
+SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS = os.environ.get("HOMELAB_MCP_SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS",
+                                 "/etc/homelab-mcp/known_hosts")
 HUBRIS_HOST = os.environ.get("HOMELAB_MCP_HUBRIS_HOST", "192.168.8.77")
 SSH_TIMEOUT = int(os.environ.get("HOMELAB_MCP_SSH_TIMEOUT", "10"))
 
@@ -89,7 +91,10 @@ def _run_via_hubris(remote_host: str, cmd: list[str],
     joined = " ".join(full)
     ssh_args = [
         "ssh", "-i", SSH_IDENTITY, "-o", "BatchMode=yes",
-        "-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new",
+        # The systemd unit runs with ProtectHome=true so ~/.ssh is unreachable.
+        # Use a pre-populated known_hosts in /etc/homelab-mcp/.
+        "-o", f"UserKnownHostsFile={SSH_KNOWN_HOSTS}",
+        "-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=yes",
         "-o", f"ConnectTimeout={SSH_TIMEOUT}",
         f"{SSH_USER}@{HUBRIS_HOST}",
         joined,