diff --git a/communicator/ssh/communicator_test.go b/communicator/ssh/communicator_test.go
index b2344fa55..5064a7e82 100644
--- a/communicator/ssh/communicator_test.go
+++ b/communicator/ssh/communicator_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package ssh
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/base64"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -171,6 +173,74 @@ func TestStart(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHostKey(t *testing.T) {
+	// get the server's public key
+	signer, err := ssh.ParsePrivateKey([]byte(testServerPrivateKey))
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("unable to parse private key: " + err.Error())
+	}
+	pubKey := fmt.Sprintf("ssh-rsa %s", base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(signer.PublicKey().Marshal()))
+
+	address := newMockLineServer(t)
+	host, p, _ := net.SplitHostPort(address)
+	port, _ := strconv.Atoi(p)
+
+	connInfo := &connectionInfo{
+		User:     "user",
+		Password: "pass",
+		Host:     host,
+		HostKey:  pubKey,
+		Port:     port,
+		Timeout:  "30s",
+	}
+
+	cfg, err := prepareSSHConfig(connInfo)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	c := &Communicator{
+		connInfo: connInfo,
+		config:   cfg,
+	}
+
+	var cmd remote.Cmd
+	stdout := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	cmd.Command = "echo foo"
+	cmd.Stdout = stdout
+
+	if err := c.Start(&cmd); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := c.Disconnect(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// now check with the wrong HostKey
+	address = newMockLineServer(t)
+	_, p, _ = net.SplitHostPort(address)
+	port, _ = strconv.Atoi(p)
+
+	connInfo.HostKey = testClientPublicKey
+	connInfo.Port = port
+
+	cfg, err = prepareSSHConfig(connInfo)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	c = &Communicator{
+		connInfo: connInfo,
+		config:   cfg,
+	}
+
+	err = c.Start(&cmd)
+	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "mismatch") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected host key mismatch, got error:%v", err)
+	}
+
+}
+
 func TestAccUploadFile(t *testing.T) {
 	// use the local ssh server and scp binary to check uploads
 	if ok := os.Getenv("SSH_UPLOAD_TEST"); ok == "" {