diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 90e9c0ab..1206bc8c 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,23 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+- name: Check for the presence of a public key file on the host
+  stat:
+    path: /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
+  register: _ssh_key
+  when: lxc_container_ssh_key is undefined
+  tags:
+    - always
+
+- name: Fail if a ssh public key is not set in a var and not present on the host
+  fail:
+    msg: "Please set the lxc_container_ssh_key variable or ensure that the host has the file /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub present."
+  when:
+    - lxc_container_ssh_key is undefined
+    - not _ssh_key.stat.exists
+  tags:
+    - always
+
 - name: Gather variables for each operating system
   include_vars: "{{ item }}"
   with_first_found: