diff --git a/pkg/hhfab/vlabhelpers.go b/pkg/hhfab/vlabhelpers.go
index 2adddf02..e5cf0226 100644
--- a/pkg/hhfab/vlabhelpers.go
+++ b/pkg/hhfab/vlabhelpers.go
@@ -114,24 +114,9 @@ func (c *Config) VLABAccess(ctx context.Context, vlab *VLAB, t VLABAccessType, n
 		} else if entry.IsSwitch {
 			slog.Debug("SSH through control node", "name", name, "type", "switch")
 
-			kubeconfig := filepath.Join(c.WorkDir, VLABDir, VLABKubeConfig)
-			kube, err := kubeutil.NewClientWithCache(ctx, kubeconfig, wiringapi.SchemeBuilder)
+			swIP, err := c.getSwitchIP(ctx, name)
 			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("creating kube client: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			sw := &wiringapi.Switch{}
-			if err := kube.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKey{Name: name, Namespace: metav1.NamespaceDefault}, sw); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("getting switch: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			if sw.Spec.IP == "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("switch IP not found: %s", name) //nolint:goerr113
-			}
-
-			swIP, err := netip.ParsePrefix(sw.Spec.IP)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("parsing switch IP: %w", err)
+				return fmt.Errorf("getting switch IP: %w", err)
 			}
 
 			proxyCmd := fmt.Sprintf("ssh %s -i %s -W %%h:%%p -p %d core@127.0.0.1",
@@ -144,7 +129,7 @@ func (c *Config) VLABAccess(ctx context.Context, vlab *VLAB, t VLABAccessType, n
 			args = append(SSHQuietFlags,
 				"-i", filepath.Join(VLABDir, VLABSSHKeyFile),
 				"-o", "ProxyCommand="+proxyCmd,
-				"admin@"+swIP.Addr().String(),
+				"admin@"+swIP,
 			)
 		} else {
 			return fmt.Errorf("SSH not available: %s", name) //nolint:goerr113