diff --git a/tools/devops/device-tests/templates/device-tests.yml b/tools/devops/device-tests/templates/device-tests.yml
index 61b855916a..1d55f92020 100644
--- a/tools/devops/device-tests/templates/device-tests.yml
+++ b/tools/devops/device-tests/templates/device-tests.yml
@@ -251,10 +251,16 @@ steps:
     cd $WORKING_DIR/xamarin-macios
     if [[ "$USE_XAMARIN_STORAGE" == "True" ]]; then
       if nc -z xamarin-storage 22 2>/dev/null; then
-        ssh builder@xamarin-storage "mkdir -p /volume1/storage/$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH"
-        echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_FAILED;isOutput=true]false'
-        echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH;isOutput=true]$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH'
-        export TESTS_PERIODIC_COMMAND="--periodic-interval 10 --periodic-command rsync --periodic-command-arguments '-avz -e \"ssh\" $PWD/jenkins-results builder@xamarin-storage:/volume1/storage/$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH'"
+        EC=0
+        MKSTORAGE="ssh builder@xamarin-storage "mkdir -p /volume1/storage/$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH""
+        eval $MKSTORAGE || EC=$?
+        if [ $EC -eq 0 ]; then
+          echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH;isOutput=true]$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH'
+          echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_FAILED;isOutput=true]false'
+          export TESTS_PERIODIC_COMMAND="--periodic-interval 10 --periodic-command rsync --periodic-command-arguments '-avz -e \"ssh\" $PWD/jenkins-results builder@xamarin-storage:/volume1/storage/$XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH'"
+        else
+          echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_FAILED;isOutput=true]true'
+        fi
       else
         echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_FAILED;isOutput=true]true'
         echo '##vso[task.setvariable variable=XAMARIN_STORAGE_PATH;isOutput=true]""'