diff --git a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
index dc393d026..22da0c7e4 100644
--- a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
+++ b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/utilities/useValidation.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   isHostnameValid,
   isKernelNameValid,
   isUserNameValid,
+  isSshKeyValid,
 } from '../validators';
 
 export type StepValidation = {
@@ -182,10 +183,6 @@ export function useUsersValidation(): StepValidation {
   const index = 0;
   const userNameSelector = selectUserNameByIndex(index);
   const userName = useAppSelector(userNameSelector);
-<<<<<<< HEAD
-=======
-  const userNameValid = isUserNameValid(userName);
->>>>>>> d28c394f (add unit test to invalid username)
   const userPasswordSelector = selectUserPasswordByIndex(index);
   const userPassword = useAppSelector(userPasswordSelector);
   const userSshKeySelector = selectUserSshKeyByIndex(index);
@@ -196,16 +193,20 @@ export function useUsersValidation(): StepValidation {
     users.length === 0 ||
     // Case 2: All fields are empty
     (userName === '' && userPassword === '' && userSshKey === '') ||
-    // Case 3: userName is valid
-<<<<<<< HEAD
-    (userName && isUserNameValid(userName));
-=======
-    (userName && userNameValid);
->>>>>>> d28c394f (add unit test to invalid username)
+    // Case 3: userName is valid and SshKey is valid
+    (userName &&
+      isUserNameValid(userName) &&
+      userSshKey &&
+      isSshKeyValid(userSshKey));
 
   return {
     errors: {
       userName: !isUserNameValid(userName) ? 'Invalid user name' : '',
+      userSshKey: !userSshKey
+        ? ''
+        : !isSshKeyValid(userSshKey)
+        ? 'Invalid SSH key'
+        : '',
     },
     disabledNext: !canProceed,
   };
diff --git a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/validators.ts b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/validators.ts
index c9edc905f..7352f900c 100644
--- a/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/validators.ts
+++ b/src/Components/CreateImageWizard/validators.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,17 @@ export const isUserNameValid = (userName: string) => {
   return isLengthValid && isNotNumericOnly && isPatternValid;
 };
 
+export const isSshKeyValid = (sshKey: string) => {
+  // 1. Key types: ssh-rsa, ssh-dss, ssh-ed25519, or ecdsa-sha2-nistp(256|384|521).
+  // 2. Base64-encoded key material.
+  // 3. Optional comment at the end.
+  const isPatternValid =
+    /^(ssh-(rsa|dss|ed25519)|ecdsa-sha2-nistp(256|384|521))\s+[A-Za-z0-9+=]+(\s+\S+)?$/.test(
+      sshKey
+    );
+  return isPatternValid;
+};
+
 export const getDuplicateMountPoints = (partitions: Partition[]): string[] => {
   const mountPointSet: Set<string> = new Set();
   const duplicates: string[] = [];
diff --git a/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Users/Users.test.tsx b/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Users/Users.test.tsx
index 6ffe688ef..381c8250f 100644
--- a/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Users/Users.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/Components/CreateImageWizard/steps/Users/Users.test.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../wizardTestUtils';
 
 let router: RemixRouter | undefined = undefined;
+const validUserName = 'best';
 
 const goToUsersStep = async () => {
   await clickNext();
@@ -53,41 +54,29 @@ const clickRevisitButton = async () => {
   await waitFor(() => user.click(revisitButton));
 };
 
-const addValidUser = async () => {
+const clickAddUser = async () => {
   const user = userEvent.setup();
   const addUser = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: /add a user/i });
   expect(addUser).toBeEnabled();
   await waitFor(() => user.click(addUser));
-  const enterUserName = screen.getByRole('textbox', {
-    name: /blueprint user name/i,
-  });
-  const nextButton = await getNextButton();
-  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterUserName, 'best'));
-  await waitFor(() => expect(enterUserName).toHaveValue('best'));
+};
+
+const addSshKey = async (sshKey: string) => {
+  const user = userEvent.setup();
   const enterSshKey = await screen.findByRole('textbox', {
     name: /public SSH key/i,
   });
-  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterSshKey, 'ssh-rsa d'));
-  await waitFor(() => expect(enterSshKey).toHaveValue('ssh-rsa d'));
-  await waitFor(() => expect(nextButton).toBeEnabled());
+  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterSshKey, sshKey));
+  await waitFor(() => expect(enterSshKey).toHaveValue(sshKey));
 };
 
-const addInvalidUser = async () => {
+const addUserName = async (userName: string) => {
   const user = userEvent.setup();
-  const addUser = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: /add a user/i });
-  expect(addUser).toBeEnabled();
-  await waitFor(() => user.click(addUser));
   const enterUserName = screen.getByRole('textbox', {
     name: /blueprint user name/i,
   });
-  const nextButton = await getNextButton();
-  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterUserName, '..'));
-  await waitFor(() => expect(enterUserName).toHaveValue('..'));
-  const enterSshKey = await screen.findByRole('textbox', {
-    name: /public SSH key/i,
-  });
-  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterSshKey, 'ssh-rsa d'));
-  await waitFor(() => expect(nextButton).toBeDisabled());
+  await waitFor(() => user.type(enterUserName, userName));
+  await waitFor(() => expect(enterUserName).toHaveValue(userName));
 };
 
 describe('Step Users', () => {
@@ -124,59 +113,44 @@ describe('Step Users', () => {
   });
 
   test('revisit step button on Review works', async () => {
+    const sshKey = 'ssh-rsa d';
     await renderCreateMode();
     await goToRegistrationStep();
     await clickRegisterLater();
     await goToUsersStep();
-    await addValidUser();
+    await clickAddUser();
+    await addUserName(validUserName);
+    await addSshKey(sshKey);
+    const nextButton = await getNextButton();
+    await waitFor(() => expect(nextButton).toBeEnabled());
     await goToReviewStep();
     await clickRevisitButton();
     await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: /Users/ });
   });
 
   describe('User request generated correctly', () => {
-    test('with valid name and password', async () => {
-      await renderCreateMode();
-      await goToRegistrationStep();
-      await clickRegisterLater();
-      await goToUsersStep();
-      await addValidUser();
-      await goToReviewStep();
-      // informational modal pops up in the first test only as it's tied
-      // to a 'imageBuilder.saveAndBuildModalSeen' variable in localStorage
-      await openAndDismissSaveAndBuildModal();
-      const receivedRequest = await interceptBlueprintRequest(CREATE_BLUEPRINT);
-
-      const expectedRequest = {
-        ...blueprintRequest,
-        customizations: {
-          users: [
-            {
-              name: 'best',
-              ssh_key: 'ssh-rsa d',
-            },
-          ],
-        },
-      };
-
-      await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(receivedRequest).toEqual(expectedRequest);
-      });
-    });
-
-<<<<<<< HEAD
     test('with valid name, ssh key and checked Administrator checkbox', async () => {
       const user = userEvent.setup();
+      const sshKey = 'ssh-rsa d';
       await renderCreateMode();
       await goToRegistrationStep();
       await clickRegisterLater();
       await goToUsersStep();
-      await addValidUser();
+      await clickAddUser();
+      await addUserName(validUserName);
+      await addSshKey(sshKey);
+      const nextButton = await getNextButton();
+      await waitFor(() => expect(nextButton).toBeEnabled());
+
       const isAdmin = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {
         name: /administrator/i,
       });
       user.click(isAdmin);
+
       await goToReviewStep();
+      // informational modal pops up in the first test only as it's tied
+      // to a 'imageBuilder.saveAndBuildModalSeen' variable in localStorage
+      await openAndDismissSaveAndBuildModal();
       const receivedRequest = await interceptBlueprintRequest(CREATE_BLUEPRINT);
 
       const expectedRequest = {
@@ -191,23 +165,34 @@ describe('Step Users', () => {
           ],
         },
       };
-
       await waitFor(() => {
         expect(receivedRequest).toEqual(expectedRequest);
       });
     });
 
-=======
->>>>>>> d28c394f (add unit test to invalid username)
     test('with invalid name', async () => {
       await renderCreateMode();
       await goToRegistrationStep();
       await clickRegisterLater();
       await goToUsersStep();
-      await addInvalidUser();
+      await clickAddUser();
+      await addUserName('ss.');
+      await addSshKey('ssh');
       const invalidUserMessage = screen.getByText(/invalid user name/i);
       await waitFor(() => expect(invalidUserMessage));
     });
+
+    test('with invalid ssh key', async () => {
+      await renderCreateMode();
+      await goToRegistrationStep();
+      await clickRegisterLater();
+      await goToUsersStep();
+      await clickAddUser();
+      await addSshKey('ssh');
+      await addUserName('bestUser');
+      const invalidUserMessage = screen.getByText(/invalid ssh key/i);
+      await waitFor(() => expect(invalidUserMessage));
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Users edit mode', () => {