diff --git a/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go b/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
index 486d9e3d63..57bf8730d8 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/constants/constants.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const (
 
 	VSockGateway = "192.168.127.1"
 	VsockSSHPort = 2222
+	LocalIP      = "127.0.0.1"
 
 	OkdPullSecret = `{"auths":{"fake":{"auth": "Zm9vOmJhcgo="}}}` // #nosec G101
 
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/vsock.go b/pkg/crc/machine/vsock.go
index 0257ded53b..190e406852 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/vsock.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/vsock.go
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ const (
 	virtualMachineIP = "192.168.127.2"
 	hostVirtualIP    = "192.168.127.254"
 	internalSSHPort  = "22"
-	localIP          = "127.0.0.1"
 	remoteHTTPPort   = "80"
 	remoteHTTPSPort  = "443"
 	apiPort          = "6443"
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ func vsockPorts(preset crcPreset.Preset, ingressHTTPPort, ingressHTTPSPort uint)
 	exposeRequest := []types.ExposeRequest{
 		{
 			Protocol: "tcp",
-			Local:    net.JoinHostPort(localIP, strconv.Itoa(constants.VsockSSHPort)),
+			Local:    net.JoinHostPort(constants.LocalIP, strconv.Itoa(constants.VsockSSHPort)),
 			Remote:   net.JoinHostPort(virtualMachineIP, internalSSHPort),
 		},
 		{
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ func vsockPorts(preset crcPreset.Preset, ingressHTTPPort, ingressHTTPSPort uint)
 		exposeRequest = append(exposeRequest,
 			types.ExposeRequest{
 				Protocol: "tcp",
-				Local:    net.JoinHostPort(localIP, apiPort),
+				Local:    net.JoinHostPort(constants.LocalIP, apiPort),
 				Remote:   net.JoinHostPort(virtualMachineIP, apiPort),
 			},
 			types.ExposeRequest{
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ func vsockPorts(preset crcPreset.Preset, ingressHTTPPort, ingressHTTPSPort uint)
 		exposeRequest = append(exposeRequest,
 			types.ExposeRequest{
 				Protocol: "tcp",
-				Local:    net.JoinHostPort(localIP, cockpitPort),
+				Local:    net.JoinHostPort(constants.LocalIP, cockpitPort),
 				Remote:   net.JoinHostPort(virtualMachineIP, cockpitPort),
 			})
 	default:
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_common.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_common.go
index 63d26112ad..6d879d240a 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_common.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_common.go
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@ package preflight
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/adminhelper"
 	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/cluster"
 	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/constants"
+	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/daemonclient"
 	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/logging"
 	"github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/machine/bundle"
 	crcpreset "github.com/crc-org/crc/v2/pkg/crc/preset"
@@ -45,6 +48,17 @@ func memoryCheck(preset crcpreset.Preset) Check {
 	}
 }
 
+func sshPortCheck() Check {
+	return Check{
+		configKeySuffix:  "check-ssh-port",
+		checkDescription: "Checking SSH port availability",
+		check:            checkSSHPortFree(),
+		fixDescription:   fmt.Sprintf("crc uses %d to run SSH", constants.VsockSSHPort),
+		flags:            NoFix,
+		labels:           None,
+	}
+}
+
 var genericCleanupChecks = []Check{
 	{
 		cleanupDescription: "Removing CRC Machine Instance directory",
@@ -83,6 +97,34 @@ var genericCleanupChecks = []Check{
 	},
 }
 
+func checkSSHPortFree() func() error {
+	return func() error {
+
+		host := net.JoinHostPort(constants.LocalIP, strconv.Itoa(constants.VsockSSHPort))
+
+		daemonClient := daemonclient.New()
+		exposed, err := daemonClient.NetworkClient.List()
+		if err == nil {
+			// if port already exported by vsock we could proceed
+			for _, e := range exposed {
+				if e.Local == host {
+					return nil
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		server, err := net.Listen("tcp", host)
+		// if it fails then the port is likely taken
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("port %d already in use: %s", constants.VsockSSHPort, err)
+		}
+		server.Close()
+
+		// we successfully used and closed the port
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func checkBundleExtracted(bundlePath string) func() error {
 	return func() error {
 		logging.Infof("Checking if %s exists", bundlePath)
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
index 20eb146dec..e2155699ba 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ func getChecks(_ network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enabl
 	checks = append(checks, bundleCheck(bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback))
 	checks = append(checks, trayLaunchdCleanupChecks...)
 	checks = append(checks, daemonLaunchdChecks...)
+	checks = append(checks, sshPortCheck())
 
 	return checks
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
index 1fd8ad1c09..12c2687ac6 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ import (
 func TestCountConfigurationOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := config.New(config.NewEmptyInMemoryStorage(), config.NewEmptyInMemorySecretStorage())
 	RegisterSettings(cfg)
-	assert.Len(t, cfg.AllConfigs(), 11)
+	assert.Len(t, cfg.AllConfigs(), 12)
 }
 
 func TestCountPreflights(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 17)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 17)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 18)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 18)
 
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 16)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 16)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 17)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 17)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
index e74a94fa19..b6e96c40c7 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ func getChecks(bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallb
 	checks = append(checks, cleanupCheckRemoveCrcVM)
 	checks = append(checks, daemonTaskChecks...)
 	checks = append(checks, adminHelperServiceCheks...)
+	checks = append(checks, sshPortCheck())
 	return checks
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
index d785b5d095..603222d6ac 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ import (
 func TestCountConfigurationOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := config.New(config.NewEmptyInMemoryStorage(), config.NewEmptyInMemorySecretStorage())
 	RegisterSettings(cfg)
-	assert.Len(t, cfg.AllConfigs(), 14)
+	assert.Len(t, cfg.AllConfigs(), 15)
 }
 
 func TestCountPreflights(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 23)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 23)
 
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 21)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 21)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
 }