diff --git a/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php b/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
index 49382177..a0312416 100644
--- a/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
+++ b/phpseclib/Net/SSH2.php
@@ -3625,6 +3625,13 @@ class Net_SSH2
      */
     function getServerPublicHostKey()
     {
+        if (!($this->bitmap & NET_SSH2_MASK_CONSTRUCTOR)) {
+            $this->bitmap |= NET_SSH2_MASK_CONSTRUCTOR;
+            if (!$this->_connect()) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
         $signature = $this->signature;
         $server_public_host_key = $this->server_public_host_key;
 
diff --git a/tests/Functional/Net/SSH2Test.php b/tests/Functional/Net/SSH2Test.php
index 0f92ca20..22d97703 100644
--- a/tests/Functional/Net/SSH2Test.php
+++ b/tests/Functional/Net/SSH2Test.php
@@ -58,4 +58,11 @@ class Functional_Net_SSH2Test extends PhpseclibFunctionalTestCase
             ->will($this->returnValue(true));
         $ssh->exec('pwd', array($callbackObject, 'callbackMethod'));
     }
+
+    public function testGetServerPublicHostKey()
+    {
+        $ssh = new Net_SSH2($this->getEnv('SSH_HOSTNAME'));
+
+        $this->assertInternalType('string', $ssh->getServerPublicHostKey());
+    }
 }