diff --git a/tasks/cloud_setup_basic.yml b/tasks/cloud_setup_basic.yml
index 9605f8d0ba..f117e4f29a 100644
--- a/tasks/cloud_setup_basic.yml
+++ b/tasks/cloud_setup_basic.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   - config
   
 - name: add root keys for sysadmin-main and other allowed users
-  authorized_key: user=root key={{ item }}
+  authorized_key: user=root key="{{ item }}"
   with_lines: 
   - "{{ auth_keys_from_fas}} @sysadmin-main {{ root_auth_users }}"
   tags: