diff --git a/builder/parallels/common/ssh.go b/builder/parallels/common/ssh.go
index 9e0b2b907..35b43311e 100644
--- a/builder/parallels/common/ssh.go
+++ b/builder/parallels/common/ssh.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func SSHConfigFunc(config SSHConfig) func(multistep.StateBag) (*ssh.ClientConfig
 				packerssh.PasswordKeyboardInteractive(config.Comm.SSHPassword)),
 		}
 
-		if config.SSHKeyPath != "" {
+		if config.Comm.SSHPrivateKey != "" {
 			signer, err := commonssh.FileSigner(config.Comm.SSHPrivateKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
diff --git a/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config.go b/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config.go
index bea164b06..e7d9357ff 100644
--- a/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config.go
+++ b/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config.go
@@ -12,15 +12,11 @@ type SSHConfig struct {
 
 	// These are deprecated, but we keep them around for BC
 	// TODO(@mitchellh): remove
-	SSHKeyPath     string        `mapstructure:"ssh_key_path"`
 	SSHWaitTimeout time.Duration `mapstructure:"ssh_wait_timeout"`
 }
 
 func (c *SSHConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 	// TODO: backwards compatibility, write fixer instead
-	if c.SSHKeyPath != "" {
-		c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = c.SSHKeyPath
-	}
 	if c.SSHWaitTimeout != 0 {
 		c.Comm.SSHTimeout = c.SSHWaitTimeout
 	}
diff --git a/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config_test.go b/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config_test.go
index 01dd1ff62..887b59f8f 100644
--- a/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/parallels/common/ssh_config_test.go
@@ -28,19 +28,19 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHPrivateKey(t *testing.T) {
 	var c *SSHConfig
 	var errs []error
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = ""
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = ""
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = "/i/dont/exist"
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = "/i/dont/exist"
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tf.Truncate(0)
 	tf.Write([]byte(testPem))
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)
diff --git a/builder/qemu/builder.go b/builder/qemu/builder.go
index 66c78e45e..59490049c 100644
--- a/builder/qemu/builder.go
+++ b/builder/qemu/builder.go
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// These are deprecated, but we keep them around for BC
 	// TODO(@mitchellh): remove
-	SSHKeyPath     string        `mapstructure:"ssh_key_path"`
 	SSHWaitTimeout time.Duration `mapstructure:"ssh_wait_timeout"`
 
 	// TODO(mitchellh): deprecate
@@ -212,9 +211,6 @@ func (b *Builder) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 
 	// TODO: backwards compatibility, write fixer instead
-	if b.config.SSHKeyPath != "" {
-		b.config.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = b.config.SSHKeyPath
-	}
 	if b.config.SSHWaitTimeout != 0 {
 		b.config.Comm.SSHTimeout = b.config.SSHWaitTimeout
 	}
diff --git a/builder/qemu/builder_test.go b/builder/qemu/builder_test.go
index a7ce88e6d..cebcf6fbb 100644
--- a/builder/qemu/builder_test.go
+++ b/builder/qemu/builder_test.go
@@ -357,11 +357,11 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_SSHHostPort(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestBuilderPrepare_sshKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
+func TestBuilderPrepare_SSHPrivateKey(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	config := testConfig()
 
-	config["ssh_key_path"] = ""
+	config["ssh_private_key_file"] = ""
 	b = Builder{}
 	warns, err := b.Prepare(config)
 	if len(warns) > 0 {
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_sshKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	config["ssh_key_path"] = "/i/dont/exist"
+	config["ssh_private_key_file"] = "/i/dont/exist"
 	b = Builder{}
 	warns, err = b.Prepare(config)
 	if len(warns) > 0 {
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_sshKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	config["ssh_key_path"] = tf.Name()
+	config["ssh_private_key_file"] = tf.Name()
 	b = Builder{}
 	warns, err = b.Prepare(config)
 	if len(warns) > 0 {
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ func TestBuilderPrepare_sshKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tf.Seek(0, 0)
 	tf.Truncate(0)
 	tf.Write([]byte(testPem))
-	config["ssh_key_path"] = tf.Name()
+	config["ssh_private_key_file"] = tf.Name()
 	b = Builder{}
 	warns, err = b.Prepare(config)
 	if len(warns) > 0 {
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh.go
index b04a14ac8..c9080df1d 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func SSHConfigFunc(config SSHConfig) func(multistep.StateBag) (*gossh.ClientConf
 				ssh.PasswordKeyboardInteractive(config.Comm.SSHPassword)),
 		}
 
-		if config.SSHKeyPath != "" {
+		if config.Comm.SSHPrivateKey != "" {
 			signer, err := commonssh.FileSigner(config.Comm.SSHPrivateKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config.go
index 8997c58f7..5095f2b03 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ type SSHConfig struct {
 
 	// These are deprecated, but we keep them around for BC
 	// TODO(@mitchellh): remove
-	SSHKeyPath     string        `mapstructure:"ssh_key_path"`
 	SSHWaitTimeout time.Duration `mapstructure:"ssh_wait_timeout"`
 }
 
@@ -31,9 +30,6 @@ func (c *SSHConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 	}
 
 	// TODO: backwards compatibility, write fixer instead
-	if c.SSHKeyPath != "" {
-		c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = c.SSHKeyPath
-	}
 	if c.SSHWaitTimeout != 0 {
 		c.Comm.SSHTimeout = c.SSHWaitTimeout
 	}
diff --git a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config_test.go b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config_test.go
index e5b918fe9..72d92ac11 100644
--- a/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/virtualbox/common/ssh_config_test.go
@@ -59,19 +59,19 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHHostPort(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHPrivateKey(t *testing.T) {
 	var c *SSHConfig
 	var errs []error
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = ""
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = ""
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = "/i/dont/exist"
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = "/i/dont/exist"
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tf.Truncate(0)
 	tf.Write([]byte(testPem))
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
index 86754f6e4..a0bbf942e 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config.go
@@ -12,16 +12,12 @@ type SSHConfig struct {
 
 	// These are deprecated, but we keep them around for BC
 	// TODO(@mitchellh): remove
-	SSHKeyPath        string        `mapstructure:"ssh_key_path"`
 	SSHSkipRequestPty bool          `mapstructure:"ssh_skip_request_pty"`
 	SSHWaitTimeout    time.Duration `mapstructure:"ssh_wait_timeout"`
 }
 
 func (c *SSHConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 	// TODO: backwards compatibility, write fixer instead
-	if c.SSHKeyPath != "" {
-		c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = c.SSHKeyPath
-	}
 	if c.SSHWaitTimeout != 0 {
 		c.Comm.SSHTimeout = c.SSHWaitTimeout
 	}
diff --git a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config_test.go b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config_test.go
index 1fd84c02f..64889195f 100644
--- a/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config_test.go
+++ b/builder/vmware/common/ssh_config_test.go
@@ -28,19 +28,19 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHPrivateKey(t *testing.T) {
 	var c *SSHConfig
 	var errs []error
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = ""
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = ""
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = "/i/dont/exist"
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = "/i/dont/exist"
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) == 0 {
 		t.Fatal("should have error")
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestSSHConfigPrepare_SSHKeyPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tf.Truncate(0)
 	tf.Write([]byte(testPem))
 	c = testSSHConfig()
-	c.SSHKeyPath = tf.Name()
+	c.Comm.SSHPrivateKey = tf.Name()
 	errs = c.Prepare(testConfigTemplate(t))
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("should not have error: %#v", errs)