diff --git a/tests/roles/development_environment/defaults/main.yaml b/tests/roles/development_environment/defaults/main.yaml
index 3775bce01..c616deadc 100644
--- a/tests/roles/development_environment/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/tests/roles/development_environment/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ prelaunch_test_instance_script: pre_launch.bash
 edpm_privatekey_path: ~/install_yamls/out/edpm/ansibleee-ssh-key-id_rsa
 run_pre_adoption_validation: true
 os_cloud_name: standalone
+os_user: root
diff --git a/tests/roles/development_environment/tasks/main.yaml b/tests/roles/development_environment/tasks/main.yaml
index f293f5dff..71ce4a35e 100644
--- a/tests/roles/development_environment/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/tests/roles/development_environment/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
     EDPM_PRIVATEKEY_PATH: "{{ edpm_privatekey_path }}"
     OS_CLOUD_IP: "{{ standalone_ip | default(edpm_node_ip) }}"
     OS_CLOUD_NAME: "{{ os_cloud_name }}"
+    OS_USER: "{{ os_user }}"
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: |
       {{ shell_header }}
-      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} root@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
+      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no ${OS_USER}@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
       {{ lookup('ansible.builtin.file', prelaunch_test_instance_script) }}
 
 - name: creates Barbican secret
@@ -20,10 +21,11 @@
     EDPM_PRIVATEKEY_PATH: "{{ edpm_privatekey_path }}"
     OS_CLOUD_IP: "{{ standalone_ip | default(edpm_node_ip) }}"
     OS_CLOUD_NAME: "{{ os_cloud_name }}"
+    OS_USER: "{{ os_user }}"
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: |
       {{ shell_header }}
-      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} root@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
+      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no ${OS_USER}@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
       ${BASH_ALIASES[openstack]} secret store --name testSecret --payload 'TestPayload'
 
 - name: saves a fernet token
@@ -33,10 +35,11 @@
     EDPM_PRIVATEKEY_PATH: "{{ edpm_privatekey_path }}"
     OS_CLOUD_IP: "{{ standalone_ip | default(edpm_node_ip) }}"
     OS_CLOUD_NAME: "{{ os_cloud_name }}"
+    OS_USER: "{{ os_user }}"
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: |
       {{ shell_header }}
-      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} root@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
+      alias openstack="ssh -i {{ edpm_privatekey_path }} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no ${OS_USER}@${OS_CLOUD_IP} OS_CLOUD=${OS_CLOUD_NAME} openstack"
       ${BASH_ALIASES[openstack]} token issue -f value -c id
   register: before_adoption_token