diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 9024c344..30bde482 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@
 #   Defaults to undef
 #  [*image_alt_ssh_user*]
 #   Defaults to undef
+#  [*run_ssh*]
+#   Defaults to false
 #  [*flavor_ref*]
 #   Defaults to undef
 #  [*flavor_ref_alt*]
@@ -275,6 +277,7 @@ class tempest(
   $flavor_ref                    = undef,
   $flavor_ref_alt                = undef,
   $compute_build_interval        = undef,
+  $run_ssh                       = false,
   # whitebox
   $whitebox_db_uri               = undef,
   # testing features that are supported
@@ -481,6 +484,7 @@ class tempest(
     'compute/resize_available':                        value => $resize_available;
     'compute/build_interval':                          value => $compute_build_interval;
     'validation/image_ssh_user':                       value => $image_ssh_user;
+    'validation/run_validation':                       value => $run_ssh;
     'identity/admin_role':                             value => $admin_role;
     'identity/alt_password':                           value => $alt_password, secret => true;
     'identity/alt_project_name':                       value => $alt_project_name_real;
diff --git a/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb b/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
index 44be7f2c..d1c51d40 100644
--- a/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/tempest_init_spec.rb
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ describe 'tempest' do
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('compute/build_interval').with(:value => nil)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('compute-feature-enabled/attach_encrypted_volume').with(:value => false)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/image_ssh_user').with(:value => nil)
+          is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('validation/run_validation').with(:value => false)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/admin_role').with(:value => nil)
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/auth_version').with(:value => 'v2')
           is_expected.to contain_tempest_config('identity/alt_password').with(:value => nil)