diff --git a/outpostspawner/outpostspawner.py b/outpostspawner/outpostspawner.py
index 1e29b1b82a600a89574058ec353c8423e523a0ec..5fb11e63dcf82485d313b356307d310845a35977 100644
--- a/outpostspawner/outpostspawner.py
+++ b/outpostspawner/outpostspawner.py
@@ -715,7 +715,8 @@ class OutpostSpawner(ForwardBaseSpawner):
 
         request_header = await self.get_request_headers()
         url = await self.get_request_url()
-        if self.start_async:
+        ssh_during_startup = self.get_ssh_during_startup()
+        if self.start_async and not ssh_during_startup:
             request_header["execution-type"] = "async"
 
         req = HTTPRequest(