diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 5661153..1c0ca69 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ ENV CONFD_OPTS '--backend=env --onetime'
 
 # This contains the repo for docker
 COPY root /
+RUN mkdir -p /root/.ssh
 
 RUN apt-get -y install \
       apt-transport-https \
@@ -81,6 +82,9 @@ RUN install-plugins.sh \
          workflow-multibranch:2.14 \
          ws-cleanup:0.32
 
+# Designate the default domains to limit strict key checking.
+ENV OUTRIGGER_STRICT_HOST_CHECKING_DISABLED 'github.com bitbucket.org'
+
 # Run the s6-based init.
 ENTRYPOINT ["/init"]
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8fad10c..5c7bd12 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -93,6 +93,27 @@ configurations offered by this image.
 You can pass this as an environment variable to container and it will customize the `admin`
 user password. If this is not set, the `admin` user will have a blank password.
 
+### OUTRIGGER_STRICT_HOST_CHECKING_DISABLED
+
+Specify a domain for an SSH config file Host entry. This domain will have the SSH
+settig `StrictHostKeyChecking` disabled. As a result, ssh or git commands from
+the Jenkins container will not be challenged for a hosts key entry.
+
+In keeping with SSH configuration syntax, you can use a single wildcard in your
+host name and may also specify multiple host names delimited by a single space.
+
+As long as you are using key-based authentication this represents a minimal risk
+of exposure to Man-in-the-Middle attacks, for more details see:
+http://www.gremwell.com/ssh-mitm-public-key-authentication
+
+#### Default Value & Example
+
+```
+OUTRIGGER_STRICT_HOST_CHECKING_DISABLED="github.com bitbucket.org"
+```
+
+If you do not wish Github and Bitbucket to have StrictHostKeyChecking disabled,
+set this environment variable to an empty string.
 
 ## Customization
 
diff --git a/root/etc/confd/conf.d/ssh-config.toml b/root/etc/confd/conf.d/ssh-config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e18ebf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/root/etc/confd/conf.d/ssh-config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[template]
+src="ssh_config.tmpl"
+dest="/root/.ssh/config"
+keys=[
+  "/",
+]
diff --git a/root/etc/confd/templates/ssh_config.tmpl b/root/etc/confd/templates/ssh_config.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfa9a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/root/etc/confd/templates/ssh_config.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{{if getenv "OUTRIGGER_STRICT_HOST_CHECKING_DISABLED"}}
+Host {{getenv "OUTRIGGER_STRICT_HOST_CHECKING_DISABLED"}}
+  StrictHostKeyChecking no
+{{end}}
diff --git a/root/etc/cont-init.d/20-outrigger-private-key b/root/etc/cont-init.d/20-outrigger-private-key
index cdd0357..696d64b 100644
--- a/root/etc/cont-init.d/20-outrigger-private-key
+++ b/root/etc/cont-init.d/20-outrigger-private-key
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@
 KEY_BASE=/root/.ssh
 KEY_FILE=$KEY_BASE/outrigger.key
 
-if [ -e $KEY_FILE ]; then
-
+if [ -e $KEY_FILE ] && [ ! -d $KEY_FILE ]
+then
   echo "KEY_FILE found. Setting up key..."
-
 else
 
   echo "##############################################################"
@@ -34,7 +33,3 @@ fi
 cp $KEY_FILE $PRIVATE_KEY
 chown root:root $PRIVATE_KEY
 chmod 600 $PRIVATE_KEY
-
-# Make sure that commands don't need to prompt for host keys
-ssh-keyscan -H bitbucket.org >> $KEY_BASE/known_hosts
-ssh-keyscan -H github.com >> $KEY_BASE/known_hosts
diff --git a/root/root/.ssh/config b/root/root/.ssh/config
deleted file mode 100644
index e495d54..0000000
--- a/root/root/.ssh/config
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-Host bitbucket.org
-  StrictHostKeyChecking no
-Host github.com
-  StrictHostKeyChecking no