diff --git a/src-tauri/src/ssh/session.rs b/src-tauri/src/ssh/session.rs
index 36dbc1f..2c8e9f7 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/ssh/session.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/ssh/session.rs
@@ -100,7 +100,18 @@ impl SshService {
                     .map_err(|e| format!("SSH authentication error: {}", e))?
             }
             AuthMethod::Key { ref private_key_pem, ref passphrase } => {
-                let key = russh::keys::decode_secret_key(private_key_pem, passphrase.as_deref()).map_err(|e| format!("Failed to decode private key: {}", e))?;
+                let pem = resolve_private_key(private_key_pem)?;
+                let key = match russh::keys::decode_secret_key(&pem, passphrase.as_deref()) {
+                    Ok(k) => k,
+                    Err(_) => {
+                        // Fallback: convert to PKCS#8 via openssl (handles EC, DSA, etc.)
+                        let converted = convert_key_to_pkcs8(&pem, passphrase.as_deref())?;
+                        russh::keys::decode_secret_key(&converted, None).map_err(|e| {
+                            let first_line = pem.lines().next().unwrap_or("<empty>");
+                            format!("Failed to decode private key (header: '{}'): {}", first_line, e)
+                        })?
+                    }
+                };
                 tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(10), handle.authenticate_publickey(username, Arc::new(key)))
                     .await
                     .map_err(|_| "SSH key authentication timed out after 10s".to_string())?
@@ -213,3 +224,73 @@ impl SshService {
         }).collect()
     }
 }
+
+/// Convert a private key to PKCS#8 format via the openssl CLI.
+/// Handles EC (SEC1), DSA, and other formats that russh can't parse natively.
+fn convert_key_to_pkcs8(pem: &str, passphrase: Option<&str>) -> Result<String, String> {
+    use std::io::Write;
+
+    let mut cmd = std::process::Command::new("openssl");
+    // `pkey` handles all key types (EC, DSA, RSA) and outputs PKCS#8 by default
+    cmd.arg("pkey");
+    if let Some(pass) = passphrase {
+        cmd.args(["-passin", &format!("pass:{}", pass)]);
+    }
+    cmd.stdin(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .stdout(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped());
+
+    let mut child = cmd.spawn().map_err(|e| {
+        format!("Key format not supported by russh and openssl not available for conversion: {}", e)
+    })?;
+
+    if let Some(mut stdin) = child.stdin.take() {
+        let _ = stdin.write_all(pem.as_bytes());
+    }
+
+    let output = child.wait_with_output().map_err(|e| format!("openssl conversion failed: {}", e))?;
+
+    if output.status.success() {
+        String::from_utf8(output.stdout)
+            .map(|s| s.trim().to_string())
+            .map_err(|e| format!("openssl output is not valid UTF-8: {}", e))
+    } else {
+        let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
+        Err(format!("Failed to convert key to PKCS#8: {}", stderr.trim()))
+    }
+}
+
+/// Resolve a private key string — if it looks like PEM content, return as-is.
+/// If it looks like a file path, read the file. Strip BOM and normalize.
+fn resolve_private_key(input: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let input = input.trim();
+    // Strip UTF-8 BOM if present
+    let input = input.strip_prefix('\u{feff}').unwrap_or(input);
+
+    if input.starts_with("-----BEGIN ") {
+        return Ok(input.to_string());
+    }
+
+    // Doesn't look like PEM — try as file path
+    let path = if input.starts_with('~') {
+        if let Ok(home) = std::env::var("HOME") {
+            input.replacen('~', &home, 1)
+        } else {
+            input.to_string()
+        }
+    } else {
+        input.to_string()
+    };
+
+    let path = std::path::Path::new(&path);
+    if path.exists() && path.is_file() {
+        std::fs::read_to_string(path)
+            .map(|s| s.trim().to_string())
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to read private key file '{}': {}", path.display(), e))
+    } else if input.contains('/') || input.contains('\\') {
+        Err(format!("Private key file not found: {}", input))
+    } else {
+        // Neither PEM nor a path — pass through and let russh give its error
+        Ok(input.to_string())
+    }
+}