diff --git a/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd.java b/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd.java
index b7c5945c1a4..243df8b54c1 100644
--- a/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.cloud.api.ApiConstants;
 import com.cloud.api.BaseCmd;
 import com.cloud.api.Implementation;
 import com.cloud.api.Parameter;
+import com.cloud.api.BaseCmd.CommandType;
 import com.cloud.api.response.SSHKeyPairResponse;
 import com.cloud.user.Account;
 import com.cloud.user.SSHKeyPair;
@@ -45,6 +46,12 @@ public class RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd extends BaseCmd {
     @Parameter(name="publickey", type=CommandType.STRING, required=true, description="Public key material of the keypair") 
     private String publicKey;
 
+    //Owner information
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.ACCOUNT, type=CommandType.STRING, description="an optional account for the ssh key. Must be used with domainId.")
+    private String accountName;
+    
+    @Parameter(name=ApiConstants.DOMAIN_ID, type=CommandType.LONG, description="an optional domainId for the ssh key. If the account parameter is used, domainId must also be used.")
+    private Long domainId;
     
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     /////////////////// Accessors ///////////////////////
@@ -58,6 +65,13 @@ public class RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd extends BaseCmd {
 		return publicKey;
 	}
 
+	public String getAccountName() {
+	    return accountName;
+	}
+	    
+    public Long getDomainId() {
+        return domainId;
+    }
     
     /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     /////////////// API Implementation///////////////////
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
index 8ea5a1dc8bf..54115ec8989 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
@@ -4613,7 +4613,7 @@ public class ManagementServerImpl implements ManagementServer {
         String fingerprint = keys.getPublicKeyFingerPrint();
         String privateKey = keys.getPrivateKey();
 
-        return createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(name, fingerprint, publicKey, privateKey);
+        return createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(name, fingerprint, publicKey, privateKey, owner);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -4685,29 +4685,32 @@ public class ManagementServerImpl implements ManagementServer {
 
     @Override
     public SSHKeyPair registerSSHKeyPair(RegisterSSHKeyPairCmd cmd) {
-        Account account = UserContext.current().getCaller();
-        SSHKeyPairVO s = _sshKeyPairDao.findByName(account.getAccountId(), account.getDomainId(), cmd.getName());
+        Account caller = UserContext.current().getCaller();
+        
+        Account owner = _accountMgr.finalizeOwner(caller, cmd.getAccountName(), cmd.getDomainId());
+        
+        SSHKeyPairVO s = _sshKeyPairDao.findByName(owner.getAccountId(), owner.getDomainId(), cmd.getName());
         if (s != null) {
             throw new InvalidParameterValueException("A key pair with name '" + cmd.getName() + "' already exists.");
         }
 
         String name = cmd.getName();
         String publicKey = SSHKeysHelper.getPublicKeyFromKeyMaterial(cmd.getPublicKey());
-        String fingerprint = SSHKeysHelper.getPublicKeyFingerprint(publicKey);
-
+        
         if (publicKey == null) {
             throw new InvalidParameterValueException("Public key is invalid");
         }
+        
+        String fingerprint = SSHKeysHelper.getPublicKeyFingerprint(publicKey);
 
-        return createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(name, fingerprint, publicKey, null);
+        return createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(name, fingerprint, publicKey, null, owner);
     }
 
-    private SSHKeyPair createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(String name, String fingerprint, String publicKey, String privateKey) {
-        Account account = UserContext.current().getCaller();
+    private SSHKeyPair createAndSaveSSHKeyPair(String name, String fingerprint, String publicKey, String privateKey, Account owner) {
         SSHKeyPairVO newPair = new SSHKeyPairVO();
 
-        newPair.setAccountId(account.getAccountId());
-        newPair.setDomainId(account.getDomainId());
+        newPair.setAccountId(owner.getAccountId());
+        newPair.setDomainId(owner.getDomainId());
         newPair.setName(name);
         newPair.setFingerprint(fingerprint);
         newPair.setPublicKey(publicKey);