diff --git a/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/route_manager.py b/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/route_manager.py
index 645ca45adf..990252cd5a 100644
--- a/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/route_manager.py
+++ b/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/route_manager.py
@@ -144,11 +144,21 @@ async def route_connection_as_inviter(
         """Set up routing for a new connection when we are the inviter."""
         LOGGER.debug("Routing connection as inviter")
         my_info = await self.get_or_create_my_did(profile, conn_record)
+
+        replace_key = conn_record.invitation_key
+        async with profile.session() as session:
+            wallet = session.inject(BaseWallet)
+            public_did = await wallet.get_public_did()
+
+        # Do not replace key, if it is public
+        if public_did and public_did.verkey == conn_record.invitation_key:
+            replace_key = None
+
         return await self._route_for_key(
             profile,
             my_info.verkey,
             mediation_record,
-            replace_key=conn_record.invitation_key,
+            replace_key=replace_key,
             skip_if_exists=True,
         )
 
diff --git a/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/tests/test_route_manager.py b/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/tests/test_route_manager.py
index f64ecd0cfe..4d9efceb72 100644
--- a/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/tests/test_route_manager.py
+++ b/aries_cloudagent/protocols/coordinate_mediation/v1_0/tests/test_route_manager.py
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 from .....messaging.responder import BaseResponder, MockResponder
 from .....storage.error import StorageNotFoundError
 from .....wallet.did_info import DIDInfo
+from .....wallet.did_method import SOV
 from .....wallet.in_memory import InMemoryWallet
+from .....wallet.key_type import ED25519
 from ....routing.v1_0.models.route_record import RouteRecord
 from ..manager import MediationManager
 from ..messages.keylist_update import KeylistUpdate
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@
     RouteManagerError,
 )
 
+TEST_RECORD_DID = "55GkHamhTU1ZbTbV2ab9DE"
 TEST_RECORD_VERKEY = "3Dn1SJNPaCXcvvJvSbsFWP2xaCjMom3can8CQNhWrTRx"
 TEST_VERKEY = "did:key:z6Mkgg342Ycpuk263R9d8Aq6MUaxPn1DDeHyGo38EefXmgDL"
 TEST_ROUTE_RECORD_VERKEY = "9WCgWKUaAJj3VWxxtzvvMQN3AoFxoBtBDo9ntwJnVVCC"
@@ -313,6 +316,43 @@ async def test_route_connection_as_inviter(
         )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_route_connection_state_inviter_replace_key_none(
+    profile: Profile, route_manager: RouteManager, conn_record: ConnRecord
+):
+    mediation_record = MediationRecord(mediation_id="test-mediation-id")
+    mock_did_info = mock.MagicMock(DIDInfo)
+    conn_record.invitation_key = TEST_RECORD_VERKEY
+
+    with mock.patch.object(
+        route_manager,
+        "get_or_create_my_did",
+        mock.CoroutineMock(return_value=mock_did_info),
+    ), mock.patch.object(
+        InMemoryWallet,
+        "get_public_did",
+        mock.CoroutineMock(
+            return_value=DIDInfo(
+                TEST_RECORD_DID,
+                TEST_RECORD_VERKEY,
+                None,
+                method=SOV,
+                key_type=ED25519,
+            )
+        ),
+    ):
+        await route_manager.route_connection_as_inviter(
+            profile, conn_record, mediation_record
+        )
+        route_manager._route_for_key.assert_called_once_with(
+            profile,
+            mock_did_info.verkey,
+            mediation_record,
+            replace_key=None,
+            skip_if_exists=True,
+        )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_route_connection_state_invitee(
     profile: Profile, route_manager: RouteManager, conn_record: ConnRecord