diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index 4432a07aa..ff245214a 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -120,9 +120,6 @@ function configure_tobiko_nova {
 
   # Write key_file
   local key_file=${TOBIKO_NOVA_KEY_FILE:-}
-  if ! [ -r "${key_file}" ]; then
-    ssh-keygen -t rsa -q -P "" -f "${key_file}"
-  fi
   iniset "${tobiko_config}" nova key_file "${key_file}"
 }
 
diff --git a/tobiko/openstack/stacks/_nova.py b/tobiko/openstack/stacks/_nova.py
index 5786e3ce5..c1d3fdb80 100644
--- a/tobiko/openstack/stacks/_nova.py
+++ b/tobiko/openstack/stacks/_nova.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from tobiko.openstack import neutron
 from tobiko.openstack.stacks import _hot
 from tobiko.openstack.stacks import _neutron
 from tobiko.shell import ssh
+from tobiko.shell import sh
 
 
 CONF = config.CONF
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ class KeyPairStackFixture(heat.HeatStackFixture):
     private_key = None
 
     def setup_fixture(self):
+        self.create_key_file()
         self.read_keys()
         super(KeyPairStackFixture, self).setup_fixture()
 
@@ -47,6 +49,19 @@ class KeyPairStackFixture(heat.HeatStackFixture):
         with open(self.key_file + '.pub', 'r') as fd:
             self.public_key = as_str(fd.read())
 
+    def create_key_file(self):
+        key_file = os.path.realpath(self.key_file)
+        if not os.path.isfile(key_file):
+            key_dir = os.path.dirname(key_file)
+            if not os.path.isdir(key_dir):
+                os.makedirs(key_dir)
+                assert os.path.isdir(key_dir)
+            command = sh.shell_command(['ssh-keygen',
+                                        '-f', key_file,
+                                        '-P', ''])
+            sh.local_execute(command)
+            assert os.path.isfile(key_file)
+
 
 class FlavorStackFixture(heat.HeatStackFixture):
     template = _hot.heat_template_file('nova/flavor.yaml')
diff --git a/tobiko/tests/functional/openstack/test_nova.py b/tobiko/tests/functional/openstack/test_nova.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec6b3050f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tobiko/tests/functional/openstack/test_nova.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2019 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import os
+
+import testtools
+
+import tobiko
+from tobiko.openstack import stacks
+
+
+class KeyPairTest(testtools.TestCase):
+
+    stack = tobiko.required_setup_fixture(stacks.KeyPairStackFixture)
+
+    def test_key_files(self):
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(self.stack.key_file))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(self.stack.key_file + '.pub'))