diff --git a/builder/gridscale/builder.go b/builder/gridscale/builder.go
index 8cf1220..c8b69a9 100644
--- a/builder/gridscale/builder.go
+++ b/builder/gridscale/builder.go
@@ -85,9 +85,10 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ctx context.Context, ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook) (pack
 			ui:           ui,
 		},
 		&stepCreateBootStorage{
-			client: client,
-			config: &b.config,
-			ui:     ui,
+			client:         client,
+			templateClient: client,
+			config:         &b.config,
+			ui:             ui,
 		},
 		&stepLinkServerBootStorage{
 			client: client,
diff --git a/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage.go b/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage.go
index 60738f9..0b99cc4 100644
--- a/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage.go
+++ b/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage.go
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 type stepCreateBootStorage struct {
-	client gsclient.StorageOperator
-	config *Config
-	ui     packer.Ui
+	client         gsclient.StorageOperator
+	templateClient gsclient.TemplateOperator
+	config         *Config
+	ui             packer.Ui
 }
 
 func (s *stepCreateBootStorage) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
@@ -39,21 +40,31 @@ func (s *stepCreateBootStorage) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBa
 			state.Put("error", err)
 			return multistep.ActionHalt
 		}
-		if sshKeyUUID == "" && c.Comm.SSHPassword == "" {
-			ui.Error("No SSH key UUID and no SSH password are provided.")
-			state.Put("error", "No SSH key UUID and no SSH password are provided.")
-			return multistep.ActionHalt
-		}
 		storage_template := gsclient.StorageTemplate{
-			Hostname:     c.Hostname,
 			TemplateUUID: c.BaseTemplateUUID,
 		}
-		if sshKeyUUID != "" {
-			storage_template.Sshkeys = []string{sshKeyUUID}
+		template, err := s.templateClient.GetTemplate(context.Background(), c.BaseTemplateUUID)
+		if err != nil {
+			ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting template: %s", err))
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
 		}
-		if c.Comm.SSHPassword != "" {
-			storage_template.Password = c.Comm.SSHPassword
-			storage_template.PasswordType = gsclient.PlainPasswordType
+		// Check if template is public, if so, either ssh key or password and hostname is required.
+		// If template is private, ssh key or password will be ignored.
+		if !template.Properties.Private {
+			storage_template.Hostname = c.Hostname
+			if sshKeyUUID == "" && c.Comm.SSHPassword == "" {
+				ui.Error("No SSH key UUID and no SSH password are provided.")
+				state.Put("error", "No SSH key UUID and no SSH password are provided.")
+				return multistep.ActionHalt
+			}
+			if sshKeyUUID != "" {
+				storage_template.Sshkeys = []string{sshKeyUUID}
+			}
+			if c.Comm.SSHPassword != "" {
+				storage_template.Password = c.Comm.SSHPassword
+				storage_template.PasswordType = gsclient.PlainPasswordType
+			}
 		}
 		storageCreateReq.Template = &storage_template
 	}
diff --git a/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage_test.go b/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage_test.go
index 01ce421..c7f265b 100644
--- a/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage_test.go
+++ b/builder/gridscale/step_create_boot_storage_test.go
@@ -110,9 +110,10 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Cleanup(t *testing.T) {
 
 func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 	type fields struct {
-		client gsclient.StorageOperator
-		config *Config
-		ui     packer.Ui
+		client         gsclient.StorageOperator
+		templateClient gsclient.TemplateOperator
+		config         *Config
+		ui             packer.Ui
 	}
 	type args struct {
 		ctx   context.Context
@@ -128,7 +129,8 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "success",
 			fields: fields{
-				client: StorageOperatorMock{},
+				client:         StorageOperatorMock{},
+				templateClient: TemplateOperatorMock{},
 				config: produceTestConfig(map[string]interface{}{
 					"server_name": "success",
 				}),
@@ -145,7 +147,8 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "API call fail",
 			fields: fields{
-				client: StorageOperatorMock{},
+				client:         StorageOperatorMock{},
+				templateClient: TemplateOperatorMock{},
 				config: produceTestConfig(map[string]interface{}{
 					"server_name": "fail",
 				}),
@@ -162,7 +165,8 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "No SSH key UUID detected",
 			fields: fields{
-				client: StorageOperatorMock{},
+				client:         StorageOperatorMock{},
+				templateClient: TemplateOperatorMock{},
 				config: produceTestConfig(map[string]interface{}{
 					"server_name": "success",
 				}),
@@ -179,7 +183,8 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "cannot convert ssh_key_uuid to string",
 			fields: fields{
-				client: StorageOperatorMock{},
+				client:         StorageOperatorMock{},
+				templateClient: TemplateOperatorMock{},
 				config: produceTestConfig(map[string]interface{}{
 					"server_name": "success",
 				}),
@@ -195,9 +200,10 @@ func Test_stepCreateBootStorage_Run(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			s := &stepCreateBootStorage{
-				client: tt.fields.client,
-				config: tt.fields.config,
-				ui:     tt.fields.ui,
+				client:         tt.fields.client,
+				templateClient: tt.fields.templateClient,
+				config:         tt.fields.config,
+				ui:             tt.fields.ui,
 			}
 			if got := s.Run(tt.args.ctx, tt.args.state); got != tt.want {
 				t.Errorf("stepCreateBootStorage_Run() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)