diff --git a/minerva/machine.py b/minerva/machine.py
index 9647dd0..9df3f2d 100644
--- a/minerva/machine.py
+++ b/minerva/machine.py
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ class Machine:
         self.thread.join()
 
     def wait(self, n):
-        time.sleep(n) # give time for AWS to register that the instance has been created
-
         i = 0
         # Time for the server to show as "running"
         # and time for the server to finish getting daemons running
@@ -88,6 +86,9 @@ class Machine:
                 reason = f"{self.info['InstanceId']} took too long to start ({i} attempts)"
                 raise Exception(reason)
 
+        # Final wait, now that the server is up and running -- need
+        # some time for daemons to start
+        time.sleep(25)
         self.ready = True
 
     # alternatively, could maybe implement this with SSM so that we can access
@@ -96,15 +97,16 @@ class Machine:
         if self.ssh:
             return True
 
+        if not self.public:
+            raise Exception("Can only log into server that has a public IP")
+
         # Machine must be running first, so we need to wait for the countdown to finish
         self.join()
 
-        # Final wait, now that the server is up and running -- need some time for daemons to start
-        time.sleep(25)
-
         resp = self.pier.ec2.describe_instances(InstanceIds=[self.info['InstanceId']])
         self.description = resp['Reservations'][0]['Instances'][0]
-        self.public_ip  = self.description['PublicIpAddress']
+        self.public_ip   = self.description['PublicIpAddress']
+
         print(f"\t{self.name} ({self.info['InstanceId']}) => {self.public_ip} ({self.private_ip})")
 
         self.ssh = Connection(self.public_ip,
diff --git a/minerva/pier.py b/minerva/pier.py
index ef67672..2df1425 100644
--- a/minerva/pier.py
+++ b/minerva/pier.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ class Pier:
             self.make_key_pair()
 
     def make_key_pair(self):
-        print("making keypair")
         self.key_pair_name = f"Minerva-{random.random()}"
+        print(f"making keypair ({self.key_pair_name})")
         self.key = self.ec2.create_key_pair(KeyName=self.key_pair_name)
 
         self.key_path = "/tmp/key"