diff --git a/pki/pki.go b/pki/pki.go
index 7c1aeff8..c7c5ec1c 100644
--- a/pki/pki.go
+++ b/pki/pki.go
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ func (p *PKI) GenerateConfig(opt ...Option) (*authority.Config, error) {
 			Renegotiation: x509util.DefaultTLSRenegotiation,
 			CipherSuites:  x509util.DefaultTLSCipherSuites,
 		},
+		Templates: p.getTemplates(),
 	}
 	if p.enableSSH {
 		enableSSHCA := true
@@ -461,6 +462,7 @@ func (p *PKI) GenerateConfig(opt ...Option) (*authority.Config, error) {
 func (p *PKI) Save(opt ...Option) error {
 	p.tellPKI()
 
+	// Generate and write ca.json
 	config, err := p.GenerateConfig(opt...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -489,6 +491,7 @@ func (p *PKI) Save(opt ...Option) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Generate and write defaults.json
 	defaults := &caDefaults{
 		Root:        p.root,
 		CAConfig:    p.config,
@@ -503,11 +506,20 @@ func (p *PKI) Save(opt ...Option) error {
 		return errs.FileError(err, p.defaults)
 	}
 
+	// Generate and write templates
+	if err := generateTemplates(config.Templates); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if config.DB != nil {
+		ui.PrintSelected("Database folder", config.DB.DataSource)
+	}
+	if config.Templates != nil {
+		ui.PrintSelected("Templates folder", GetTemplatesPath())
+	}
+
 	ui.PrintSelected("Default configuration", p.defaults)
 	ui.PrintSelected("Certificate Authority configuration", p.config)
-	if config.DB != nil {
-		ui.PrintSelected("Database", config.DB.DataSource)
-	}
 	ui.Println()
 	ui.Println("Your PKI is ready to go. To generate certificates for individual services see 'step help ca'.")
 
diff --git a/pki/templates.go b/pki/templates.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d873ed4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pki/templates.go
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package pki
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/smallstep/cli/utils"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/smallstep/certificates/templates"
+	"github.com/smallstep/cli/errs"
+)
+
+// sshTemplates contains the configuration of default templates used on ssh.
+var sshTemplates = &templates.SSHTemplates{
+	User: []templates.Template{
+		{Name: "include.tpl", Type: templates.Snippet, TemplatePath: "ssh/include.tpl", Path: "~/.ssh/config", Comment: "#"},
+		{Name: "config.tpl", Type: templates.File, TemplatePath: "ssh/config.tpl", Path: "ssh/config", Comment: "#"},
+		{Name: "known_hosts.tpl", Type: templates.File, TemplatePath: "ssh/known_hosts.tpl", Path: "ssh/known_hosts", Comment: "#"},
+	},
+	Host: []templates.Template{
+		{Name: "sshd_config.tpl", Type: templates.Snippet, TemplatePath: "ssh/sshd_config.tpl", Path: "/etc/ssh/sshd_config", Comment: "#"},
+		{Name: "ca.tpl", Type: templates.Snippet, TemplatePath: "ssh/ca.tpl", Path: "/etc/ssh/ca.pub", Comment: "#"},
+	},
+}
+
+// sshTemplateData contains the data of the default templates used on ssh.
+var sshTemplateData = map[string]string{
+	// include.tpl adds the step ssh config file
+	"include.tpl": `Host *
+	Include {{.User.StepPath}}/ssh/config`,
+
+	// config.tpl is the step ssh config file, it includes the Match rule
+	// and references the step known_hosts file
+	"config.tpl": `Match exec "step ssh check-host %h"
+	ForwardAgent yes
+	UserKnownHostsFile {{.User.StepPath}}/config/ssh/known_hosts`,
+
+	// known_hosts.tpl authorizes the ssh hosst key
+	"known_hosts.tpl": "@cert-authority * {{.Step.SSH.HostKey.Type}} {{.Step.SSH.HostKey.Marshal | toString | b64enc}}",
+
+	// sshd_config.tpl adds the configuration to support certificates
+	"sshd_config.tpl": `TrustedUserCAKeys /etc/ssh/ca.pub
+HostCertificate /etc/ssh/{{.User.Certificate}}
+HostKey /etc/ssh/{{.User.Key}}`,
+
+	// ca.tpl contains the public key used to authorized clients
+	"ca.tpl": "{{.Step.SSH.UserKey.Type}} {{.Step.SSH.UserKey.Marshal | toString | b64enc}}",
+}
+
+// getTemplates returns all the templates enabled
+func (p *PKI) getTemplates() *templates.Templates {
+	if !p.enableSSH {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return &templates.Templates{
+		SSH:  sshTemplates,
+		Data: map[string]interface{}{},
+	}
+}
+
+// generateTemplates generates given templates.
+func generateTemplates(t *templates.Templates) error {
+	if t == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	base := GetTemplatesPath()
+	// Generate SSH templates
+	if t.SSH != nil {
+		// all ssh templates are under ssh:
+		sshDir := filepath.Join(base, "ssh")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(sshDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			if err = os.MkdirAll(sshDir, 0700); err != nil {
+				return errs.FileError(err, sshDir)
+			}
+		}
+		// Create all templates
+		for _, t := range t.SSH.User {
+			data, ok := sshTemplateData[t.Name]
+			if !ok {
+				return errors.Errorf("template %s does not exists", t.Name)
+			}
+			if err := utils.WriteFile(filepath.Join(base, t.TemplatePath), []byte(data), 0644); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		for _, t := range t.SSH.Host {
+			data, ok := sshTemplateData[t.Name]
+			if !ok {
+				return errors.Errorf("template %s does not exists", t.Name)
+			}
+			if err := utils.WriteFile(filepath.Join(base, t.TemplatePath), []byte(data), 0644); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}