diff --git a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
index 7565d2bb95..f0f20d7bb5 100644
--- a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
+++ b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,21 @@
   delegate_to: "{{ vmhost }}"
   when: inventory_hostname not in result.list_vms
 
+- name: make sure there is no old ssh host key for the host still around
+  local_action: known_hosts path={{item}} host={{ inventory_hostname }} state=absent
+  ignore_errors: True
+  with_items:
+  - /root/.ssh/known_hosts
+  - /etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts
+  when: inventory_hostname not in result.list_vms
+
+- name: Add new ssh_host_key for newly installed host
+  local_action: known_hosts path={{item}} host={{ inventory_hostname }} state=present
+  ignore_errors: True
+  with_items:
+  - /root/.ssh/known_hosts
+  when: inventory_hostname not in result.list_vms
+
 - name: wait for ssh on the vm to start back
   local_action: wait_for delay=10 host={{ inventory_hostname }} port=22 state=started timeout=1200
   when: inventory_hostname not in result.list_vms