diff --git a/cmd/podman/machine/list.go b/cmd/podman/machine/list.go
index b25ff0530b..d8b77c34d2 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/machine/list.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/machine/list.go
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func toHumanFormat(vms []*machine.ListResponse, defaultCon *config.Connection) [
 		isDefault := false
 		// check port, in case we somehow have machines with the same name in different providers
 		if defaultCon != nil {
-			isDefault = vm.Name == defaultCon.Name && strings.Contains(defaultCon.URI, strconv.Itoa((vm.Port)))
+			isDefault = vm.Name == defaultCon.Name && strings.Contains(defaultCon.URI, strconv.Itoa(vm.Port))
 		}
 		if isDefault {
 			response.Name = vm.Name + "*"
diff --git a/cmd/podman/machine/ssh.go b/cmd/podman/machine/ssh.go
index eed77b1339..68cfa9b001 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/machine/ssh.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/machine/ssh.go
@@ -60,14 +60,15 @@ func ssh(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		// it implies podman cannot read its machine files, which is bad
 		mc, vmProvider, err = shim.VMExists(args[0])
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if errors.Is(err, &define.ErrVMDoesNotExist{}) {
-			vmName = args[0]
-		} else {
+			var vmNotExistsErr *define.ErrVMDoesNotExist
+			if !errors.As(err, &vmNotExistsErr) {
+				return err
+			}
 			sshOpts.Args = append(sshOpts.Args, args[0])
+		} else {
+			vmName = args[0]
+			exists = true
 		}
-		exists = true
 	}
 
 	// If len is greater than 1, it means we might have been
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/ssh_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/ssh_test.go
index 9190dfaa03..cec00cf6fa 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/ssh_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/ssh_test.go
@@ -33,25 +33,38 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine ssh", func() {
 
 	It("ssh to running machine and check os-type", func() {
 		wsl := testProvider.VMType() == define.WSLVirt
-		name := randomString()
+
+		// setting this name instead of randomized because we want to test when the
+		// machine name is and is not provided.  That's what the loop below is for
+
+		name := "podman-machine-default"
 		i := new(initMachine)
-		session, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath).withNow()).run()
+		session, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath).withNow().withUpdateConnection(ptrBool(true))).run()
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(session).To(Exit(0))
 
+		// pass 1
 		ssh := &sshMachine{}
-		sshSession, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"cat", "/etc/os-release"})).run()
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(sshSession).To(Exit(0))
+		// pass 2
+		bm := basicMachine{}
+		var mcs []machineCommand
+		// check with the machine name
+		mcs = append(mcs, ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"cat", "/etc/os-release"}))
+		// check without the machine name
+		mcs = append(mcs, bm.withPodmanCommand([]string{"machine", "ssh", "cat", "/etc/os-release"}))
+		for _, mc := range mcs {
+			sshSession, err := mb.setCmd(mc).run()
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(sshSession).To(Exit(0))
 
-		if wsl {
-			Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring("Fedora Linux"))
-		} else {
-			Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring("Fedora CoreOS"))
+			if wsl {
+				Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring("Fedora Linux"))
+			} else {
+				Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring("Fedora CoreOS"))
+			}
 		}
-
 		// keep exit code
-		sshSession, err = mb.setName(name).setCmd(ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"false"})).run()
+		sshSession, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"false"})).run()
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(sshSession).To(Exit(1))
 		Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(Equal(""))