diff --git a/conf.d/armh.mk b/conf.d/armh.mk
index 8c887af5..1ea83f21 100644
--- a/conf.d/armh.mk
+++ b/conf.d/armh.mk
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ endif
 ifeq (vm,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 
 # NB: early dependency on use/kernel is on intent
-vm/.arm-base: profile/bare use/kernel use/net-eth/dhcp use/vm-ssh; @:
+vm/.arm-base: profile/bare use/kernel use/net-eth/dhcp use/net-ssh; @:
 	@$(call add,BASE_PACKAGES,interactivesystem e2fsprogs)
 	@$(call add,BASE_PACKAGES,apt)
 	@$(call add,BASE_PACKAGES,mkinitrd uboot-tools)
 	@$(call set,BRANDING,altlinux-kdesktop)
 
-vm/.cubox-bare: vm/.arm-base use/armh use/armh-cubox use/services/ssh +systemd \
+vm/.cubox-bare: vm/.arm-base use/armh use/armh-cubox use/net-ssh +systemd \
 	use/repo use/branding use/xdg-user-dirs/deep +pulse
 	@$(call set,KFLAVOURS,cubox)
 	@$(call set,BRANDING,altlinux-kdesktop)
diff --git a/conf.d/test.mk b/conf.d/test.mk
index a7c51fc4..d3926c64 100644
--- a/conf.d/test.mk
+++ b/conf.d/test.mk
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ endif # IMAGE_CLASS: ve
 
 ifeq (vm,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 
-vm/net-static: vm/bare use/vm-net/static use/vm-ssh
+vm/net-static: vm/bare use/vm-net/static use/net-ssh
 	@$(call set,VM_NET_IPV4ADDR,10.0.2.16/24)
 	@$(call set,VM_NET_IPV4GW,10.0.2.2)
 
diff --git a/conf.d/vm.mk b/conf.d/vm.mk
index 0d3ee63b..0f40ff42 100644
--- a/conf.d/vm.mk
+++ b/conf.d/vm.mk
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ ifeq (vm,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 vm/bare: vm/.bare
 	@$(call add,BASE_PACKAGES,apt)
 
-vm/net: vm/bare use/vm-net/dhcp use/vm-ssh
+vm/net: vm/bare use/vm-net/dhcp use/net-ssh
 	@$(call add,BASE_PACKAGES,su)
 
 # NB: use/x11 employs some installer-feature packages
diff --git a/features.in/net-ssh/README b/features.in/net-ssh/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ba1d526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/net-ssh/README
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Эта фича предназначена для добавления в образ поддержки SSH:
+добавляется клиент и конфигурируется сервер (требуется задание
+пути к существующему публичному ключу посредством переменной SSH_KEY).
diff --git a/features.in/net-ssh/config.mk b/features.in/net-ssh/config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3bb4c377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/net-ssh/config.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+use/net-ssh: use/net use/services
+	@$(call add_feature)
+	@$(call add,THE_LISTS,openssh)
+	@$(call add,DEFAULT_SERVICES_ENABLE,sshd)
diff --git a/features.in/vm-ssh/generate.mk b/features.in/net-ssh/generate.mk
similarity index 66%
rename from features.in/vm-ssh/generate.mk
rename to features.in/net-ssh/generate.mk
index 018eaf01..24df3caf 100644
--- a/features.in/vm-ssh/generate.mk
+++ b/features.in/net-ssh/generate.mk
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ ifdef BUILDDIR
 
 include $(BUILDDIR)/distcfg.mk
 
-# prepare the provided public SSH key to be carried over into the VM image
+# prepare the provided public SSH key to be carried over into the image
 all: SSH_DIR = $(BUILDDIR)/files/root/.ssh
 all:
 	@if [ -s "$(SSH_KEY)" ]; then \
-		install -pD "$(SSH_KEY)" "$(SSH_DIR)/authorized_keys"; \
+		mkdir -pm0700 "$(SSH_DIR)"; \
+		install -pm0600 "$(SSH_KEY)" "$(SSH_DIR)/authorized_keys"; \
 	fi
 
 endif
diff --git a/features.in/services/config.mk b/features.in/services/config.mk
index 060f052e..617909ca 100644
--- a/features.in/services/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/services/config.mk
@@ -4,9 +4,3 @@ use/services: sub/rootfs
 	@$(call xport,DEFAULT_SERVICES_DISABLE)
 	@$(call xport,SERVICES_ENABLE)
 	@$(call xport,SERVICES_DISABLE)
-
-# some presets
-
-use/services/ssh: use/services use/net
-	@$(call add,THE_LISTS,openssh)
-	@$(call add,DEFAULT_SERVICES_ENABLE,sshd)
diff --git a/features.in/vm-ssh/README b/features.in/vm-ssh/README
deleted file mode 100644
index f8eef361..00000000
--- a/features.in/vm-ssh/README
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Эта фича предназначена для добавления в образ виртуальной машины
-поддержки SSH: добавляется клиент и конфигурируется сервер
-(требуется задание пути к существующему публичному ключу
-посредством переменной SSH_KEY).
-
-Фактически требует один из вариантов use/vm-net для осмысленности.
diff --git a/features.in/vm-ssh/config.mk b/features.in/vm-ssh/config.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index c9f0f962..00000000
--- a/features.in/vm-ssh/config.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-use/vm-ssh:
-	@$(call add_feature)
-	@$(call add,THE_LISTS,openssh)
diff --git a/features.in/vm-ssh/image-scripts.d/50-.ssh-perms b/features.in/vm-ssh/image-scripts.d/50-.ssh-perms
deleted file mode 100755
index 1aa7a02a..00000000
--- a/features.in/vm-ssh/image-scripts.d/50-.ssh-perms
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-# tighten up permissions just in case
-
-[ ! -d /root/.ssh ] || chmod 700 /root/.ssh
-[ ! -f /root/.ssh/authorized_keys ] || chmod 600 /root/.ssh/authorized_keys