diff --git a/examples/compute/create.py b/examples/compute/create.py
index 847eba7ba..90d018974 100644
--- a/examples/compute/create.py
+++ b/examples/compute/create.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+import errno
 import os
 
 from examples.connect import FLAVOR_NAME
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ from examples.connect import IMAGE_NAME
 from examples.connect import KEYPAIR_NAME
 from examples.connect import NETWORK_NAME
 from examples.connect import PRIVATE_KEYPAIR_FILE
+from examples.connect import SSH_DIR
 
 """
 Create resources with the Compute service.
@@ -35,6 +37,12 @@ def create_keypair(conn):
 
         print(keypair)
 
+        try:
+            os.mkdir(SSH_DIR)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
+                raise e
+
         with open(PRIVATE_KEYPAIR_FILE, 'w') as f:
             f.write("%s" % keypair.private_key)
 
diff --git a/examples/connect.py b/examples/connect.py
index 03e5f93b6..a2d678942 100644
--- a/examples/connect.py
+++ b/examples/connect.py
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ IMAGE_NAME = _get_resource_value('image_name', 'fedora-20.x86_64')
 FLAVOR_NAME = _get_resource_value('flavor_name', 'm1.small')
 NETWORK_NAME = _get_resource_value('network_name', 'private')
 KEYPAIR_NAME = _get_resource_value('keypair_name', 'openstacksdk-example')
-PRIVATE_KEYPAIR_FILE = _get_resource_value('private_keypair_file',
-                                           "{home}/{ssh}/id_rsa.{key}".format(
-                                               home=os.getenv("HOME"),
-                                               ssh='.ssh',
-                                               key=KEYPAIR_NAME))
+SSH_DIR = _get_resource_value(
+    'ssh_dir', '{home}/.ssh'.format(home=os.path.expanduser("~")))
+PRIVATE_KEYPAIR_FILE = _get_resource_value(
+    'private_keypair_file', '{ssh_dir}/id_rsa.{key}'.format(
+        ssh_dir=SSH_DIR, key=KEYPAIR_NAME))
 
 
 def create_connection_from_config():