diff --git a/plugins/hypervisors/baremetal/src/com/cloud/baremetal/networkservice/BaremetalKickStartServiceImpl.java b/plugins/hypervisors/baremetal/src/com/cloud/baremetal/networkservice/BaremetalKickStartServiceImpl.java
index 3b88ca63f0c..16fc4600925 100755
--- a/plugins/hypervisors/baremetal/src/com/cloud/baremetal/networkservice/BaremetalKickStartServiceImpl.java
+++ b/plugins/hypervisors/baremetal/src/com/cloud/baremetal/networkservice/BaremetalKickStartServiceImpl.java
@@ -160,15 +160,20 @@ public class BaremetalKickStartServiceImpl extends BareMetalPxeServiceBase imple
         return Arrays.asList(ks, kernel, initrd);
     }
 
-    private File getSystemVMKeyFile() {
+    public File getSystemVMKeyFile() {
         URL url = this.getClass().getClassLoader().getResource("scripts/vm/systemvm/id_rsa.cloud");
         File keyFile = null;
         if (url != null) {
             keyFile = new File(url.getPath());
         }
-        if (keyFile == null || !keyFile.canRead()) {
-            s_logger.error("Unable to locate id_rsa.cloud");
-            return null;
+        if (keyFile == null || !keyFile.exists()) {
+            keyFile = new File("/usr/share/cloudstack-common/scripts/vm/systemvm/id_rsa.cloud");
+        }
+        if (!keyFile.exists()) {
+            throw new CloudRuntimeException(String.format("cannot find id_rsa.cloud"));
+        }
+        if (!keyFile.exists()) {
+            s_logger.error("Unable to locate id_rsa.cloud in your setup at " + keyFile.toString());
         }
         return keyFile;
     }