diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 2beb20c9..d20c0851 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
 #   Defaults to undef
 #  [*run_ssh*]
 #   Defaults to false
+#  [*ssh_key_type*]
+#   Defaults to $::os_service_default
 #  [*flavor_name*]
 #   Defaults to undef
 #  [*flavor_name_alt*]
@@ -320,6 +322,7 @@ class tempest(
   $flavor_name_alt                    = undef,
   $compute_build_interval             = undef,
   $run_ssh                            = false,
+  $ssh_key_type                       = $::os_service_default,
   # whitebox
   $whitebox_db_uri                    = undef,
   # testing features that are supported
@@ -539,6 +542,7 @@ class tempest(
     'validation/image_ssh_user':                       value => $image_ssh_user;
     'validation/image_alt_ssh_user':                   value => $image_alt_ssh_user;
     'validation/run_validation':                       value => $run_ssh;
+    'validation/ssh_key_type':                         value => $ssh_key_type;
     'identity/admin_role':                             value => $admin_role;
     'identity/alt_password':                           value => $alt_password, secret => true;
     'identity/alt_project_name':                       value => $alt_project_name;
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ssh_key_type-43cd9a377a147c5b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ssh_key_type-43cd9a377a147c5b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4667a0e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ssh_key_type-43cd9a377a147c5b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Support for the ``[validation] ssh_key_type`` parameter has been added.
diff --git a/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb b/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
index 743b4c40..73aedf8f 100644
--- a/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ describe 'tempest' do
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/image_ssh_user').with(:value => nil)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/image_alt_ssh_user').with(:value => nil)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/run_validation').with(:value => false)
+          is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/ssh_key_type').with(:value => '<SERVICE DEFAULT>')
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/admin_role').with(:value => nil)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/auth_version').with(:value => 'v3')
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/alt_password').with(:value => nil)