diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index 30108427f..062674e51 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ function configure_tobiko_nova {
 
   # Write key_file
   local key_file=${TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE:-}
-  iniset "${tobiko_conf_file}" nova key_file "${key_file}"
+  if [ "${key_file}" != "" ]; then
+      iniset "${tobiko_conf_file}" nova key_file "${key_file}"
+  fi
 }
 
 
diff --git a/devstack/settings b/devstack/settings
index aed4bf474..59885b787 100644
--- a/devstack/settings
+++ b/devstack/settings
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ TOBIKO_KEYSTONE_TRUST_ID=${TOBIKO_KEYSTONE_TRUST_ID:-}
 TOBIKO_KEYSTONE_USER_ROLE=${TOBIKO_KEYSTONE_USER_ROLE:-admin}
 
 # --- Nova settings ---
-TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE=${TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE:-~/.ssh/id_rsa}
+TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE=${TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE:-}
 
 # --- Neutron settings ---
 TOBIKO_NEUTRON_FLOATING_NETWORK=${TOBIKO_NEUTRON_FLOATING_NETWORK:-${PUBLIC_NETWORK_NAME}}