diff --git a/chipfoundry_cli/main.py b/chipfoundry_cli/main.py
index d410c8c..f22cad2 100644
--- a/chipfoundry_cli/main.py
+++ b/chipfoundry_cli/main.py
@@ -205,16 +205,33 @@ def config_cmd():
 def _try_register_ssh_key(public_key: str) -> bool:
     """Attempt to register the SSH public key on the user's platform profile.
 
-    Returns True if the key was registered successfully, False otherwise.
+    Calls the CLI-specific ``PUT /auth/cli/ssh-key`` endpoint so the request
+    stays on the public API surface. Returns True on success, False otherwise.
+    Errors are swallowed silently so the caller can print the manual-registration
+    fallback without a scary ``API request failed`` line first.
     """
+    import httpx as _httpx
+
     config = load_user_config()
     if not config.get("api_key"):
         return False
+
     try:
-        _api_put("/users/me", {"ssh_public_key": public_key})
-        return True
+        client, _ = _api_client()
     except SystemExit:
         return False
+    try:
+        resp = client.put("/auth/cli/ssh-key", json={"ssh_public_key": public_key})
+        if resp.status_code == 200:
+            return True
+        return False
+    except _httpx.HTTPError:
+        return False
+    finally:
+        try:
+            client.close()
+        except Exception:
+            pass
 
 
 def _print_manual_key_instructions():
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d6b3556..2030311 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "chipfoundry-cli"
-version = "2.4.4"
+version = "2.4.5"
 description = "CLI tool to automate ChipFoundry project submission to SFTP server"
 authors = ["ChipFoundry <marwan.abbas@chipfoundry.io>"]
 readme = "README.md"