diff --git a/elements/local-config/install.d/62-ssh-key b/elements/local-config/install.d/62-ssh-key
index e4f01a077..9e34f23d2 100755
--- a/elements/local-config/install.d/62-ssh-key
+++ b/elements/local-config/install.d/62-ssh-key
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 set -e
 
 if [ -e "/tmp/in_target.d/ssh-authorized-keys" ]; then
-    if [ -d ~stack ]; then
-      sudo -u stack mkdir ~stack/.ssh
-      sudo -Hiu stack dd of=~stack/.ssh/authorized_keys oflag=append conv=notrunc if=/tmp/in_target.d/ssh-authorized-keys
-    fi
+  mkdir -p /root/.ssh
+  cat /tmp/in_target.d/ssh-authorized-keys >> /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
 fi
diff --git a/elements/stackuser/install.d/50-user b/elements/stackuser/install.d/50-user
index b5701f83a..6f2e706ab 100755
--- a/elements/stackuser/install.d/50-user
+++ b/elements/stackuser/install.d/50-user
@@ -12,13 +12,17 @@ stack
 EOF
 
 
-sudo_file=/etc/sudoers.d/stack
 cat > /etc/sudoers.d/stack <<eof
 # the stack user sometimes requires passwordless
 # sudo for scripted operations.
 stack ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
 eof
 
-chmod 0440 $sudo_file
-
+chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/stack
 visudo -c
+
+if [ -e "/tmp/in_target.d/ssh-authorized-keys" ]; then
+  mkdir -p /home/stack/.ssh
+  cat /tmp/in_target.d/ssh-authorized-keys >> /home/stack/.ssh/authorized_keys
+  chown -R stack:stack /home/stack/.ssh
+fi