diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 64907572..9eb52d81 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ func (h *Headscale) expireEphemeralNodesWorker() {
 
 		expiredFound := false
 		for _, machine := range machines {
-			if machine.AuthKey != nil && machine.LastSeen != nil &&
-				machine.AuthKey.Ephemeral &&
+			if machine.isEphemeral() && machine.LastSeen != nil &&
 				time.Now().
 					After(machine.LastSeen.Add(h.cfg.EphemeralNodeInactivityTimeout)) {
 				expiredFound = true
diff --git a/machine.go b/machine.go
index 79485f7d..a77d2227 100644
--- a/machine.go
+++ b/machine.go
@@ -153,6 +153,12 @@ func (machine *Machine) isOnline() bool {
 	return machine.LastSeen.After(time.Now().Add(-keepAliveInterval))
 }
 
+// isEphemeral returns if the machine is registered as an Ephemeral node.
+// https://tailscale.com/kb/1111/ephemeral-nodes/
+func (machine *Machine) isEphemeral() bool {
+	return machine.AuthKey != nil && machine.AuthKey.Ephemeral
+}
+
 func containsAddresses(inputs []string, addrs []string) bool {
 	for _, addr := range addrs {
 		if containsStr(inputs, addr) {