diff --git a/deployment/check/data-model-tf-proxmox/nixosTest.nix b/deployment/check/data-model-tf-proxmox/nixosTest.nix
index 24451d72..1831ae54 100644
--- a/deployment/check/data-model-tf-proxmox/nixosTest.nix
+++ b/deployment/check/data-model-tf-proxmox/nixosTest.nix
@@ -179,6 +179,21 @@ in
       openssl verify -CApath /etc/ssl/certs ./pve-root-ca.pem
     """)
 
+    # used when connecting directly for debugging
+    # skip indent for EOF
+    pve.succeed("""
+    cat > /root/.ssh/id_ed25519 <<EOF
+    -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
+    b3BlbnNzaC1rZXktdjEAAAAABG5vbmUAAAAEbm9uZQAAAAAAAAABAAAAMwAAAAtzc2gtZW
+    QyNTUxOQAAACBWbJXVjBLGo2MrI2LBKTbzDozuA/C9taU630EtU/h38gAAAJDAOy8uwDsv
+    LgAAAAtzc2gtZWQyNTUxOQAAACBWbJXVjBLGo2MrI2LBKTbzDozuA/C9taU630EtU/h38g
+    AAAECcF8xjLavgWePoVx45Euewsh6Kw07L6QDDy3WXFCn4bFZsldWMEsajYysjYsEpNvMO
+    jO4D8L21pTrfQS1T+HfyAAAAC2tpYXJhQG5peG9zAQI=
+    -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
+    EOF
+    chmod 600 /root/.ssh/id_ed25519
+    """)
+
     with subtest("Run the deployment"):
 
       ip = deployer.succeed(f"""