diff --git a/libmachine/ssh/client.go b/libmachine/ssh/client.go
index c54a080b..7ff2b110 100644
--- a/libmachine/ssh/client.go
+++ b/libmachine/ssh/client.go
@@ -321,19 +321,6 @@ func NewExternalClient(sshBinaryPath, user, host string, port int, auth *Auth) (
 	// Specify which private keys to use to authorize the SSH request.
 	for _, privateKeyPath := range auth.Keys {
 		if privateKeyPath != "" {
-			// Check each private key before use it
-			fi, err := os.Stat(privateKeyPath)
-			if err != nil {
-				// Abort if key not accessible
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			mode := fi.Mode()
-			log.Debugf("Using SSH private key: %s (%s)", privateKeyPath, mode)
-			// Private key file should have strict permissions
-			if mode != 0600 {
-				// Abort with correct message
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Permissions %#o for '%s' are too open.", mode, privateKeyPath)
-			}
 			args = append(args, "-i", privateKeyPath)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/libmachine/ssh/client_test.go b/libmachine/ssh/client_test.go
index 55765d6d..65d35bec 100644
--- a/libmachine/ssh/client_test.go
+++ b/libmachine/ssh/client_test.go
@@ -43,36 +43,3 @@ func TestGetSSHCmdArgs(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, cmd.Args, c.expectedArgs)
 	}
 }
-
-func TestNewExternalClient(t *testing.T) {
-	cases := []struct {
-		sshBinaryPath string
-		user          string
-		host          string
-		port          int
-		auth          *Auth
-		expectedError string
-	}{
-		{
-			sshBinaryPath: "/usr/local/bin/ssh",
-			user:          "docker",
-			host:          "localhost",
-			port:          22,
-			auth:          &Auth{Keys: []string{"/tmp/private-key-not-exist"}},
-			expectedError: "stat /tmp/private-key-not-exist: no such file or directory",
-		},
-		{
-			sshBinaryPath: "/usr/local/bin/ssh",
-			user:          "docker",
-			host:          "localhost",
-			port:          22,
-			auth:          &Auth{Keys: []string{"/dev/null"}},
-			expectedError: "Permissions 0410000666 for '/dev/null' are too open.",
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, c := range cases {
-		_, err := NewExternalClient(c.sshBinaryPath, c.user, c.host, c.port, c.auth)
-		assert.EqualError(t, err, c.expectedError)
-	}
-}