diff --git a/lib/claws/command/ec2.rb b/lib/claws/command/ec2.rb
index 3e006a0..09d0bbc 100644
--- a/lib/claws/command/ec2.rb
+++ b/lib/claws/command/ec2.rb
@@ -33,13 +33,21 @@ def self.exec(options)
 
           puts 'connecting to server...'
 
+          identity = config.ssh.identity.nil? ? '' : "-i #{config.ssh.identity}"
+          current_instance = instances[selection.to_i]
+          ssh_opts = {:identity => identity, :ssh_user => config.ssh.user}
+
           if instances[selection.to_i].vpc?
-            system "ssh #{config.ssh.user}@#{instances[selection.to_i].private_ip_address}"
+            ssh(ssh_opts.merge(:host => current_instance.private_ip_address))
           else
-            system "ssh #{config.ssh.user}@#{instances[selection.to_i].dns_name}"
+            ssh(ssh_opts.merge(:host => current_instance.dns_name))
           end
         end
       end
+
+      def self.ssh(opts={})
+        system "ssh #{opts[:identity]} #{opts[:ssh_user]}@#{opts[:host]}"
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/claws/command/initialize.rb b/lib/claws/command/initialize.rb
index 7fce034..3326a36 100644
--- a/lib/claws/command/initialize.rb
+++ b/lib/claws/command/initialize.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ def self.exec
           },
           'ssh' => {
             'user' => nil,
+            'identity' => nil,
           },
           'aws' => {
             'access_key_id' => nil,
diff --git a/spec/command/ec2_spec.rb b/spec/command/ec2_spec.rb
index 6f4d688..4f20b4f 100644
--- a/spec/command/ec2_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/command/ec2_spec.rb
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@
           OpenStruct.new(
             {
               :ssh => OpenStruct.new(
-                { :user => 'test' }
+                { :user => 'test',
+                  :identity => 'my_id'
+                }
               ),
               :ec2 => OpenStruct.new(
                 :fields => {
@@ -130,7 +132,7 @@
           )
 
           subject.should_receive(:puts).twice
-          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh test@secret.com').and_return(0)
+          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh -i my_id test@secret.com').and_return(0)
 
           capture_stdout {
             subject.exec options
@@ -152,7 +154,7 @@
           )
 
           subject.should_receive(:puts).twice
-          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh test@test.com').and_return(0)
+          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh -i my_id test@test.com').and_return(0)
 
           capture_stdout {
             subject.exec options
@@ -175,7 +177,7 @@
           )
 
           subject.should_receive(:puts).twice
-          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh test@test2.com').and_return(0)
+          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh -i my_id test@test2.com').and_return(0)
 
           capture_stdout {
             subject.exec OpenStruct.new( {:selection => 1, :config_file => nil, :connect => true} )
@@ -190,7 +192,7 @@
 
           subject.should_receive(:gets).and_return('1\n')
           subject.should_receive(:puts).once
-          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh test@test2.com').and_return(0)
+          subject.should_receive(:system).with('ssh -i my_id test@test2.com').and_return(0)
 
           capture_stdout {
             subject.exec options