diff --git a/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/coreos_ignition.bu.j2 b/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/coreos_ignition.bu.j2
index 8f7cb97..0c98596 100644
--- a/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/coreos_ignition.bu.j2
+++ b/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/coreos_ignition.bu.j2
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ variant: fcos
 version: 1.5.0
 passwd:
   users:
+    - name: root
+      password_hash: "{{ vm_password | password_hash('sha512') }}"
+      ssh_authorized_keys:
+        - "{{ lookup('file', vm_ssh_public_key) | trim }}"
     - name: {{ vm_user }}
       password_hash: "{{ vm_password | password_hash('sha512') }}"
       ssh_authorized_keys:
diff --git a/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/flatcar_ignition.bu.j2 b/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/flatcar_ignition.bu.j2
index e47b533..ead9ff9 100644
--- a/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/flatcar_ignition.bu.j2
+++ b/ansible-kvm-vms/roles/os_config/templates/flatcar_ignition.bu.j2
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ variant: fcos
 version: 1.4.0
 passwd:
   users:
+    - name: root
+      password_hash: "{{ vm_password | password_hash('sha512') }}"
+      ssh_authorized_keys:
+        - "{{ lookup('file', vm_ssh_public_key) | trim }}"
     - name: {{ vm_user }}
       password_hash: "{{ vm_password | password_hash('sha512') }}"
       ssh_authorized_keys: