diff --git a/doc/source/configuration.rst b/doc/source/configuration.rst
index 5fb958b98..d71b8222b 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration.rst
@@ -465,3 +465,9 @@ Example configuration::
     Determine the flavor to use (e.g. ``m1.medium``, ``m1.large``,
     etc).  The smallest flavor that meets the ``min-ram`` requirements
     will be chosen.
+
+**optional**
+
+  ``key-name``
+    If given, is the name of a keypair that will be used when booting each
+    server.
diff --git a/nodepool/cmd/config_validator.py b/nodepool/cmd/config_validator.py
index cff69ecd0..a12a5bd79 100644
--- a/nodepool/cmd/config_validator.py
+++ b/nodepool/cmd/config_validator.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class ConfigValidator:
             v.Required('diskimage'): str,
             'min-ram': int,
             'flavor-name': str,
+            'key-name': str,
         }
 
         pool_label = v.All(pool_label_main,
diff --git a/nodepool/config.py b/nodepool/config.py
index 49cd0ccef..03fc0275e 100644
--- a/nodepool/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/config.py
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ class ProviderLabel(ConfigValue):
     def __eq__(self, other):
         if (other.diskimage != self.diskimage or
             other.min_ram != self.min_ram or
-            other.flavor_name != self.flavor_name):
+            other.flavor_name != self.flavor_name or
+            other.key_name != self.key_name):
             return False
         return True
 
@@ -250,6 +251,7 @@ def loadConfig(config_path):
                 pl.diskimage = newconfig.diskimages[label['diskimage']]
                 pl.min_ram = label.get('min-ram', 0)
                 pl.flavor_name = label.get('flavor-name', None)
+                pl.key_name = label.get('key-name')
                 top_label = newconfig.labels[pl.name]
                 top_label.pools.append(pp)
 
diff --git a/nodepool/nodepool.py b/nodepool/nodepool.py
index 5354dbfd4..61bc84549 100644
--- a/nodepool/nodepool.py
+++ b/nodepool/nodepool.py
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ class NodeLauncher(threading.Thread, StatsReporter):
             image_id=cloud_image.external_id,
             min_ram=self._label.min_ram,
             flavor_name=self._label.flavor_name,
+            key_name=self._label.key_name,
             az=self._node.az,
             config_drive=self._diskimage.config_drive,
             nodepool_node_id=self._node.id,