diff --git a/deployment/check/common/targetNode.nix b/deployment/check/common/targetNode.nix
index a346d873..8e760888 100644
--- a/deployment/check/common/targetNode.nix
+++ b/deployment/check/common/targetNode.nix
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ in
 
       ## Test VMs don't have a bootloader by default.
       boot.loader.grub.enable = false;
+
+      users.users.root.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys =
+        let
+          keys = import ../../../keys;
+        in
+        lib.attrValues keys.contributors
+        ++ [
+          # allow our panel vm access to the test machines
+          keys.panel
+          # allow continuous deployment access
+          keys.cd
+        ];
     }
 
     (mkIf config.enableAcme {