diff --git a/packages/cactus-plugin-ledger-connector-corda/src/main/typescript/plugin-ledger-connector-corda.ts b/packages/cactus-plugin-ledger-connector-corda/src/main/typescript/plugin-ledger-connector-corda.ts
index 5796a889a0f..9b8eb9eed83 100644
--- a/packages/cactus-plugin-ledger-connector-corda/src/main/typescript/plugin-ledger-connector-corda.ts
+++ b/packages/cactus-plugin-ledger-connector-corda/src/main/typescript/plugin-ledger-connector-corda.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ import {
   DiagnoseNodeEndpointV1,
 } from "./web-services/diagnose-node-endpoint-v1";
 
+import fs from "fs";
+
 export interface IPluginLedgerConnectorCordaOptions
   extends ICactusPluginOptions {
   logLevel?: LogLevelDesc;
@@ -54,6 +56,7 @@ export interface IPluginLedgerConnectorCordaOptions
   cordaStartCmd?: string;
   cordaStopCmd?: string;
   apiUrl?: string;
+  privateKeyPath?: string;
 }
 
 export class PluginLedgerConnectorCorda
@@ -91,6 +94,8 @@ export class PluginLedgerConnectorCorda
       `${fnTag} options.prometheusExporter`,
     );
     this.prometheusExporter.startMetricsCollection();
+    // if privateKeyPath exists, overwrite privateKey in sshConfigAdminShell
+    this.readPrivateKey();
   }
 
   public getOpenApiSpec(): unknown {
@@ -146,6 +151,14 @@ export class PluginLedgerConnectorCorda
     return webServices;
   }
 
+  private readPrivateKey(): void {
+    const { privateKeyPath } = this.options;
+    if (privateKeyPath) {
+      const fileContent = fs.readFileSync(privateKeyPath, "utf-8").toString();
+      this.options.sshConfigAdminShell.privateKey = fileContent;
+    }
+  }
+
   public async getOrCreateWebServices(): Promise<IWebServiceEndpoint[]> {
     if (Array.isArray(this.endpoints)) {
       return this.endpoints;