diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a5996e9cd..3b78a4052 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ FEATURES:
 IMPROVEMENTS:
 
 * core: Most downloads made by Packer now use a custom user agent. [GH-803]
+* builder/googlecompute: SSH private key will be saved to disk if `-debug`
+  is specified. [GH-867]
 * builder/virtualbox-ovf: Can specify import options such as "keepallmacs".
   [GH-883]
 
diff --git a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_instance.go b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_instance.go
index 3cc1ec528..bfcad4be0 100644
--- a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_instance.go
+++ b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_instance.go
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ import (
 
 // StepCreateInstance represents a Packer build step that creates GCE instances.
 type StepCreateInstance struct {
+	Debug bool
+
 	instanceName string
-	Debug        bool
 }
 
 // Run executes the Packer build step that creates a GCE instance.
diff --git a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key.go b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key.go
index 146f607bc..d8b23498b 100644
--- a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key.go
+++ b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 
 // StepCreateSSHKey represents a Packer build step that generates SSH key pairs.
 type StepCreateSSHKey struct {
-	key          int
 	Debug        bool
 	DebugKeyPath string
 }
@@ -50,14 +49,19 @@ func (s *StepCreateSSHKey) Run(state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
 
 	if s.Debug {
 		ui.Message(fmt.Sprintf("Saving key for debug purposes: %s", s.DebugKeyPath))
-		f, err := os.OpenFile(s.DebugKeyPath, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
+		f, err := os.Create(s.DebugKeyPath)
 		if err != nil {
 			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error saving debug key: %s", err))
 			return multistep.ActionHalt
 		}
+
 		// Write out the key
-		pem.Encode(f, &priv_blk)
+		err = pem.Encode(f, &priv_blk)
 		f.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			state.Put("error", fmt.Errorf("Error saving debug key: %s", err))
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
 	}
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }
diff --git a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key_test.go b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key_test.go
index f6a41e66b..304d6f1fb 100644
--- a/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key_test.go
+++ b/builder/googlecompute/step_create_ssh_key_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ package googlecompute
 
 import (
 	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -27,3 +30,34 @@ func TestStepCreateSSHKey(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("should have key")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestStepCreateSSHKey_debug(t *testing.T) {
+	tf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "packer")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	tf.Close()
+
+	state := testState(t)
+	step := new(StepCreateSSHKey)
+	step.Debug = true
+	step.DebugKeyPath = tf.Name()
+
+	defer step.Cleanup(state)
+
+	// run the step
+	if action := step.Run(state); action != multistep.ActionContinue {
+		t.Fatalf("bad action: %#v", action)
+	}
+
+	// Verify that we have a public/private key
+	if _, ok := state.GetOk("ssh_private_key"); !ok {
+		t.Fatal("should have key")
+	}
+	if _, ok := state.GetOk("ssh_public_key"); !ok {
+		t.Fatal("should have key")
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(tf.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builder/googlecompute/step_instance_info.go b/builder/googlecompute/step_instance_info.go
index dbe02342d..e4de295d3 100644
--- a/builder/googlecompute/step_instance_info.go
+++ b/builder/googlecompute/step_instance_info.go
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ import (
 
 // stepInstanceInfo represents a Packer build step that gathers GCE instance info.
 type StepInstanceInfo struct {
-	info  int
 	Debug bool
+
+	info  int
 }
 
 // Run executes the Packer build step that gathers GCE instance info.