diff --git a/builder/digitalocean/builder.go b/builder/digitalocean/builder.go
index 7cf07788a..409dc7748 100644
--- a/builder/digitalocean/builder.go
+++ b/builder/digitalocean/builder.go
@@ -80,10 +80,17 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packersdk.Ui, hook packersdk.Hook)
 
 	// Build the steps
 	steps := []multistep.Step{
-		&stepCreateSSHKey{
-			Debug:        b.config.PackerDebug,
-			DebugKeyPath: fmt.Sprintf("do_%s.pem", b.config.PackerBuildName),
+		&communicator.StepSSHKeyGen{
+			CommConf:            &b.config.Comm,
+			SSHTemporaryKeyPair: b.config.Comm.SSH.SSHTemporaryKeyPair,
 		},
+		multistep.If(b.config.PackerDebug && b.config.Comm.SSHPrivateKeyFile == "",
+			&communicator.StepDumpSSHKey{
+				Path: fmt.Sprintf("do_%s.pem", b.config.PackerBuildName),
+				SSH:  &b.config.Comm.SSH,
+			},
+		),
+		&stepCreateSSHKey{},
 		new(stepCreateDroplet),
 		new(stepDropletInfo),
 		&communicator.StepConnect{
diff --git a/builder/digitalocean/step_create_ssh_key.go b/builder/digitalocean/step_create_ssh_key.go
index 76e988d2a..3eeb526bc 100644
--- a/builder/digitalocean/step_create_ssh_key.go
+++ b/builder/digitalocean/step_create_ssh_key.go
@@ -2,26 +2,16 @@ package digitalocean
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"crypto/rand"
-	"crypto/rsa"
-	"crypto/x509"
-	"encoding/pem"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"os"
-	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/digitalocean/godo"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/multistep"
 	packersdk "github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/packer"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/uuid"
-	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
 )
 
 type stepCreateSSHKey struct {
-	Debug        bool
-	DebugKeyPath string
-
 	keyId int
 }
 
@@ -30,31 +20,12 @@ func (s *stepCreateSSHKey) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mu
 	ui := state.Get("ui").(packersdk.Ui)
 	c := state.Get("config").(*Config)
 
-	ui.Say("Creating temporary ssh key for droplet...")
-
-	priv, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 2014)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("error generating RSA key: %s", err)
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	if c.Comm.SSHPublicKey == nil {
+		ui.Say("No public SSH key found; skipping SSH public key import...")
+		return multistep.ActionContinue
 	}
 
-	// ASN.1 DER encoded form
-	priv_der := x509.MarshalPKCS1PrivateKey(priv)
-	priv_blk := pem.Block{
-		Type:    "RSA PRIVATE KEY",
-		Headers: nil,
-		Bytes:   priv_der,
-	}
-
-	// Set the private key in the config for later
-	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = pem.EncodeToMemory(&priv_blk)
-
-	// Marshal the public key into SSH compatible format
-	// TODO properly handle the public key error
-	pub, _ := ssh.NewPublicKey(&priv.PublicKey)
-	pub_sshformat := string(ssh.MarshalAuthorizedKey(pub))
+	ui.Say("Importing SSH public key...")
 
 	// The name of the public key on DO
 	name := fmt.Sprintf("packer-%s", uuid.TimeOrderedUUID())
@@ -62,7 +33,7 @@ func (s *stepCreateSSHKey) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mu
 	// Create the key!
 	key, _, err := client.Keys.Create(context.TODO(), &godo.KeyCreateRequest{
 		Name:      name,
-		PublicKey: pub_sshformat,
+		PublicKey: string(c.Comm.SSHPublicKey),
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Error creating temporary SSH key: %s", err)
@@ -79,31 +50,6 @@ func (s *stepCreateSSHKey) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) mu
 	// Remember some state for the future
 	state.Put("ssh_key_id", key.ID)
 
-	// If we're in debug mode, output the private key to the working directory.
-	if s.Debug {
-		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Saving key for debug purposes: %s", s.DebugKeyPath))
-		f, err := os.Create(s.DebugKeyPath)
-		if err != nil {
-			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error saving debug key: %s", err))
-			return multistep.ActionHalt
-		}
-		defer f.Close()
-
-		// Write the key out
-		if _, err := f.Write(pem.EncodeToMemory(&priv_blk)); err != nil {
-			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error saving debug key: %s", err))
-			return multistep.ActionHalt
-		}
-
-		// Chmod it so that it is SSH ready
-		if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
-			if err := f.Chmod(0600); err != nil {
-				state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error setting permissions of debug key: %s", err))
-				return multistep.ActionHalt
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }