diff --git a/images/macos/templates/macOS-12.anka.pkr.hcl b/images/macos/templates/macOS-12.anka.pkr.hcl
index 200946859..8c0b77bce 100644
--- a/images/macos/templates/macOS-12.anka.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/macos/templates/macOS-12.anka.pkr.hcl
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ variable "vm_password" {
   sensitive = true
 }
 
+variable "vm_key_file" {
+  type      = string
+  default   = ""
+}
+
 variable "github_api_pat" {
   type    = string
   default = ""
@@ -96,7 +101,7 @@ source "null" "template" {
   ssh_host = "${var.source_vm_name}"
   ssh_port = "${var.source_vm_port}"
   ssh_username = "${var.vm_username}"
-  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_password}"
+  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_key_file}"
   ssh_proxy_host = "${var.socks_proxy}"
 }
 
diff --git a/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.anka.pkr.hcl b/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.anka.pkr.hcl
index 5a358df12..fc02bcddb 100644
--- a/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.anka.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.anka.pkr.hcl
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ variable "vm_password" {
   sensitive = true
 }
 
+variable "vm_key_file" {
+  type      = string
+  default   = ""
+}
+
 variable "github_api_pat" {
   type    = string
   default = ""
@@ -96,7 +101,7 @@ source "null" "template" {
   ssh_host = "${var.source_vm_name}"
   ssh_port = "${var.source_vm_port}"
   ssh_username = "${var.vm_username}"
-  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_password}"
+  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_key_file}"
   ssh_proxy_host = "${var.socks_proxy}"
 }
 
diff --git a/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl b/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
index 7f91b8c19..c59aa823a 100644
--- a/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/macos/templates/macOS-13.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ variable "vm_password" {
   sensitive = true
 }
 
+variable "vm_key_file" {
+  type      = string
+  default   = ""
+}
+
 variable "github_api_pat" {
   type    = string
   default = ""
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ source "null" "template" {
   ssh_host = "${var.source_vm_name}"
   ssh_port = "${var.source_vm_port}"
   ssh_username = "${var.vm_username}"
-  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_password}"
+  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_key_file}"
   ssh_proxy_host = "${var.socks_proxy}"
 }
 
diff --git a/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.anka.pkr.hcl b/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.anka.pkr.hcl
index a772f7269..657ecd90b 100644
--- a/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.anka.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.anka.pkr.hcl
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ variable "vm_password" {
   sensitive = true
 }
 
+variable "vm_key_file" {
+  type      = string
+  default   = ""
+}
+
 variable "github_api_pat" {
   type    = string
   default = ""
@@ -96,7 +101,7 @@ source "null" "template" {
   ssh_host = "${var.source_vm_name}"
   ssh_port = "${var.source_vm_port}"
   ssh_username = "${var.vm_username}"
-  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_password}"
+  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_key_file}"
   ssh_proxy_host = "${var.socks_proxy}"
 }
 
diff --git a/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl b/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
index 65e4edbbc..cd2a70e75 100644
--- a/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/macos/templates/macOS-14.arm64.anka.pkr.hcl
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ variable "vm_password" {
   sensitive = true
 }
 
+variable "vm_key_file" {
+  type      = string
+  default   = ""
+}
+
 variable "github_api_pat" {
   type    = string
   default = ""
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ source "null" "template" {
   ssh_host = "${var.source_vm_name}"
   ssh_port = "${var.source_vm_port}"
   ssh_username = "${var.vm_username}"
-  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_password}"
+  ssh_private_key_file = "${var.vm_key_file}"
   ssh_proxy_host = "${var.socks_proxy}"
 }