diff --git a/tests/test_backup.py b/tests/test_backup.py
index 388b1ad92be89b5d8b3b3cbb8d793d91198b5570..d95ba3576e387cb819e6430ec5ddce9ffa9ab7bf 100755
--- a/tests/test_backup.py
+++ b/tests/test_backup.py
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ def test_ssh(ip):
         subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True, timeout=2)
         print('%sLogged in successfully%s' % (GREEN, DEF))
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        # do some diagnostics
+        try:
+            cmd_port = 'nc -z -w2 {} 22'.format(ip)
+            subprocess.check_output(cmd_port, shell=True, timeout=5)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            cmd_ping = 'ping -c2 -w4 {}'.format(ip)
+            subprocess.check_output(cmd_ping, shell=True, timeout=5)
         print('%sFailed to login using SSH, run ssh-copy-id %s %s' % (RED, ip, DEF))
         return False
     return True