diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index e464f31..dbfe419 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
@@ -48,6 +49,10 @@ type ExitNodeData struct {
 	ExitNodes []ExitNode `json:"exitNodes"`
 }
 
+type SSHPublicKeyData struct {
+	PublicKey string `json:"publicKey"`
+}
+
 // ExitNode represents an exit node with an ID, endpoint, and weight.
 type ExitNode struct {
 	ID                     int     `json:"exitNodeId"`
@@ -93,6 +98,7 @@ var (
 	stopFunc                           func()
 	healthFile                         string
 	useNativeInterface                 bool
+	authorizedKeysFile                 string
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -114,6 +120,8 @@ func main() {
 	pingTimeoutStr := os.Getenv("PING_TIMEOUT")
 	dockerEnforceNetworkValidation = os.Getenv("DOCKER_ENFORCE_NETWORK_VALIDATION")
 	healthFile = os.Getenv("HEALTH_FILE")
+	useNativeInterface = os.Getenv("USE_NATIVE_INTERFACE") == "true"
+	authorizedKeysFile = os.Getenv("AUTHORIZED_KEYS_FILE")
 
 	if endpoint == "" {
 		flag.StringVar(&endpoint, "endpoint", "", "Endpoint of your pangolin server")
@@ -155,7 +163,13 @@ func main() {
 		flag.StringVar(&pingIntervalStr, "ping-interval", "3s", "Interval for pinging the server (default 3s)")
 	}
 	if pingTimeoutStr == "" {
-		flag.StringVar(&pingTimeoutStr, "ping-timeout", "5s", "	Timeout for each ping (default 3s)")
+		flag.StringVar(&pingTimeoutStr, "ping-timeout", "5s", "	Timeout for each ping (default 5s)")
+	}
+	if pingTimeoutStr == "" {
+		flag.StringVar(&pingTimeoutStr, "ping-timeout", "5s", "	Timeout for each ping (default 5s)")
+	}
+	if authorizedKeysFile == "" {
+		flag.StringVar(&authorizedKeysFile, "authorized-keys-file", "~/.ssh/authorized_keys", "Path to authorized keys file (if unset, no keys will be authorized)")
 	}
 
 	if pingIntervalStr != "" {
@@ -787,6 +801,93 @@ persistent_keepalive_interval=5`, fixKey(privateKey.String()), fixKey(wgData.Pub
 		}
 	})
 
+	client.RegisterHandler("newt/send/ssh/publicKey", func(msg websocket.WSMessage) {
+		logger.Debug("Received SSH public key request")
+
+		var sshPublicKeyData SSHPublicKeyData
+
+		jsonData, err := json.Marshal(msg.Data)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Info("Error marshaling data: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(jsonData, &sshPublicKeyData); err != nil {
+			logger.Info("Error unmarshaling SSH public key data: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		sshPublicKey := sshPublicKeyData.PublicKey
+
+		if authorizedKeysFile == "" {
+			logger.Debug("No authorized keys file set, skipping public key response")
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Expand tilde to home directory if present
+		expandedPath := authorizedKeysFile
+		if strings.HasPrefix(authorizedKeysFile, "~/") {
+			homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Error("Failed to get user home directory: %v", err)
+				return
+			}
+			expandedPath = filepath.Join(homeDir, authorizedKeysFile[2:])
+		}
+
+		// if it is set but the file does not exist, create it
+		if _, err := os.Stat(expandedPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			logger.Debug("Authorized keys file does not exist, creating it: %s", expandedPath)
+			if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(expandedPath), 0755); err != nil {
+				logger.Error("Failed to create directory for authorized keys file: %v", err)
+				return
+			}
+			if _, err := os.Create(expandedPath); err != nil {
+				logger.Error("Failed to create authorized keys file: %v", err)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Check if the public key already exists in the file
+		fileContent, err := os.ReadFile(expandedPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error("Failed to read authorized keys file: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Check if the key already exists (trim whitespace for comparison)
+		existingKeys := strings.Split(string(fileContent), "\n")
+		keyAlreadyExists := false
+		trimmedNewKey := strings.TrimSpace(sshPublicKey)
+
+		for _, existingKey := range existingKeys {
+			if strings.TrimSpace(existingKey) == trimmedNewKey && trimmedNewKey != "" {
+				keyAlreadyExists = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if keyAlreadyExists {
+			logger.Info("SSH public key already exists in authorized keys file, skipping")
+			return
+		}
+
+		// append the public key to the authorized keys file
+		logger.Debug("Appending public key to authorized keys file: %s", sshPublicKey)
+		file, err := os.OpenFile(expandedPath, os.O_APPEND|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error("Failed to open authorized keys file: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		defer file.Close()
+
+		if _, err := file.WriteString(sshPublicKey + "\n"); err != nil {
+			logger.Error("Failed to write public key to authorized keys file: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		logger.Info("SSH public key appended to authorized keys file")
+	})
+
 	client.OnConnect(func() error {
 		publicKey = privateKey.PublicKey()
 		logger.Debug("Public key: %s", publicKey)
diff --git a/websocket/config.go b/websocket/config.go
index 4b1e5e0..6803e81 100644
--- a/websocket/config.go
+++ b/websocket/config.go
@@ -9,22 +9,27 @@ import (
 )
 
 func getConfigPath(clientType string) string {
-	var configDir string
-	switch runtime.GOOS {
-	case "darwin":
-		configDir = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), "Library", "Application Support", clientType+"-client")
-	case "windows":
-		logDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("PROGRAMDATA"), "olm")
-		configDir = filepath.Join(logDir, clientType+"-client")
-	default: // linux and others
-		configDir = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".config", clientType+"-client")
+	configFile := os.Getenv("CONFIG_FILE")
+	if configFile == "" {
+		var configDir string
+		switch runtime.GOOS {
+		case "darwin":
+			configDir = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), "Library", "Application Support", clientType+"-client")
+		case "windows":
+			logDir := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("PROGRAMDATA"), "olm")
+			configDir = filepath.Join(logDir, clientType+"-client")
+		default: // linux and others
+			configDir = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".config", clientType+"-client")
+		}
+
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(configDir, 0755); err != nil {
+			log.Printf("Failed to create config directory: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		return filepath.Join(configDir, "config.json")
 	}
 
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(configDir, 0755); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Failed to create config directory: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	return filepath.Join(configDir, "config.json")
+	return configFile
 }
 
 func (c *Client) loadConfig() error {