diff --git a/ice-server/src/IceServer.cpp b/ice-server/src/IceServer.cpp
index c1e92f276f..b66ccaa057 100644
--- a/ice-server/src/IceServer.cpp
+++ b/ice-server/src/IceServer.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ IceServer::IceServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
     QTimer* inactivePeerTimer = new QTimer(this);
     connect(inactivePeerTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &IceServer::clearInactivePeers);
     inactivePeerTimer->start(CLEAR_INACTIVE_PEERS_INTERVAL_MSECS);
+
+    // handle public keys when they arrive from the QNetworkAccessManager
+    auto& networkAccessManager = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance();
+    connect(&networkAccessManager, &QNetworkAccessManager::finished, this, &IceServer::publicKeyReplyFinished);
 }
 
 bool IceServer::packetVersionMatch(const udt::Packet& packet) {
@@ -200,7 +204,6 @@ bool IceServer::isVerifiedHeartbeat(const QUuid& domainID, const QByteArray& pla
 void IceServer::requestDomainPublicKey(const QUuid& domainID) {
     // send a request to the metaverse API for the public key for this domain
     auto& networkAccessManager = NetworkAccessManager::getInstance();
-    connect(&networkAccessManager, &QNetworkAccessManager::finished, this, &IceServer::publicKeyReplyFinished);
 
     QUrl publicKeyURL { NetworkingConstants::METAVERSE_SERVER_URL };
     QString publicKeyPath = QString("/api/v1/domains/%1/public_key").arg(uuidStringWithoutCurlyBraces(domainID));