diff --git a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
index ed46efb50a49e..59cf23550b374 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
@@ -753,8 +753,8 @@ func RunCreateCluster(ctx context.Context, f *util.Factory, out io.Writer, c *Cr
 					merr = multierr.Append(merr, err)
 				}
 			}
-			if err != nil && len(c.SSHPublicKeys) == 0 {
-				return fmt.Errorf("error reading SSH key file %q: %v", sshPublicKeyPaths, merr)
+			if merr != nil && len(c.SSHPublicKeys) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("error reading SSH public key files %q: %v", sshPublicKeyPaths, merr)
 			}
 		}
 	}