diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/10011-github_deploy_key-check-key-present.yml b/changelogs/fragments/10011-github_deploy_key-check-key-present.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f3857794c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/10011-github_deploy_key-check-key-present.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - "github_deploy_key - check that key really exists on 422 to avoid masking other errors (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/6718, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/10011)."
diff --git a/plugins/modules/github_deploy_key.py b/plugins/modules/github_deploy_key.py
index 509a67c491..2e5f9125ad 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/github_deploy_key.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/github_deploy_key.py
@@ -259,7 +259,12 @@ class GithubDeployKey(object):
             key_id = response_body["id"]
             self.module.exit_json(changed=True, msg="Deploy key successfully added", id=key_id)
         elif status_code == 422:
-            self.module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="Deploy key already exists")
+            # there might be multiple reasons for a 422
+            # so we must check if the reason is that the key already exists
+            if self.get_existing_key():
+                self.module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="Deploy key already exists")
+            else:
+                self.handle_error(method="POST", info=info)
         else:
             self.handle_error(method="POST", info=info)