diff --git a/check_raid.yml b/check_raid.yml
index c52b952..3938d97 100644
--- a/check_raid.yml
+++ b/check_raid.yml
@@ -37,24 +37,40 @@
     - name: Read /proc/mdstat from VM (via SSH)  # English comments
       ansible.builtin.command:
         argv:
+          - timeout
+          - 25s
           - sshpass
           - -e
           - ssh
           - -o
           - StrictHostKeyChecking=no
           - -o
-          - ConnectTimeout=15
+          - UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null
+          - -o
+          - ConnectTimeout=10
+          - -o
+          - ConnectionAttempts=1
+          - -o
+          - NumberOfPasswordPrompts=1
+          - -o
+          - PubkeyAuthentication=no
+          - -o
+          - GSSAPIAuthentication=no
+          - -o
+          - PasswordAuthentication=yes
+          - -o
+          - ServerAliveInterval=5
+          - -o
+          - ServerAliveCountMax=2
           - "{{ vm_user }}@{{ vm_ip }}"
-          - bash
-          - -lc
-          - "{{ ('sudo ' if use_sudo else '') + 'cat /proc/mdstat' }}"
+          - "cat /proc/mdstat"
       environment:
         SSHPASS: "{{ vm_pass }}"
       register: mdstat_cmd
       changed_when: false
       failed_when: false
-      no_log: "{{ DEBUG == 0 }}"   # hides stdout/stderr in normal mode, but asserts below will still report summary
-
+      no_log: "{{ DEBUG == 0 }}"
+    
     - name: Fail if we cannot read /proc/mdstat (SSH/auth/network)  # English comments
       ansible.builtin.assert:
         that: