diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8bdd62d..daaaf79 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@
 /SHA256SUMS
 /SHA256SUMS.sign
 /devbox.lock
+/configs/authorized_keys
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 8762b74..54990a9 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ if test -f "${out_file}"; then
     rm -f "${out_file}"
 fi
 
+# with no authorized keys, create dummy file
+if test ! -f "configs/authorized_keys"; then
+    echo -n >"configs/authorized_keys"
+fi
+
 # repack iso
 rm -f "${iso_file//.iso/-auto.iso}"
 xorriso -indev "${iso_file}" \