diff --git a/misc/build.func b/misc/build.func
index 4d29a3fe..9c7d6a93 100644
--- a/misc/build.func
+++ b/misc/build.func
@@ -827,6 +827,7 @@ build_container() {
   export PASSWORD="$PW"
   export VERBOSE="$VERB"
   export SSH_ROOT="${SSH}"
+  export SSH_AUTHORIZED_KEY
   export CTID="$CT_ID"
   export CTTYPE="$CT_TYPE"
   export PCT_OSTYPE="$var_os"
diff --git a/misc/install.func b/misc/install.func
index 1a3cf5eb..59d87566 100644
--- a/misc/install.func
+++ b/misc/install.func
@@ -255,4 +255,11 @@ EOF
   fi
   echo "bash -c \"\$(wget -qLO - https://github.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/raw/main/ct/${app}.sh)\"" >/usr/bin/update
   chmod +x /usr/bin/update
+
+  if [[ -n "${SSH_AUTHORIZED_KEY}" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p /root/.ssh
+    echo "${SSH_AUTHORIZED_KEY}" > /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+    chmod 700 /root/.ssh
+    chmod 600 /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+  fi
 }