diff --git a/cobbler/snippets/ssh b/cobbler/snippets/ssh
index 8af88e2..1eb5052 100644
--- a/cobbler/snippets/ssh
+++ b/cobbler/snippets/ssh
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 mkdir -p /root/.ssh
 chmod 700 -R /root/.ssh
+touch /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+chmod 600 /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
+#if $getVar("push_ssh_keys", "") != ""
 cat << EOL >> /root/.ssh/authorized_keys
 $SNIPPET('id_rsa.pub')
 EOL
-chmod 600 /root/.ssh/authorized_keys 
+#end if