diff --git a/Dockerfile.bookworm b/Dockerfile.bookworm
index b84471f..6d172f6 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.bookworm
+++ b/Dockerfile.bookworm
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ FROM debian:bookworm
 ARG DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 ARG VPP_INSTALL_SKIP_SYSCTL=true
 ARG REPO=release
+EXPOSE 22/tcp
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get -y install curl procps tcpdump iproute2 iptables \
-  iputils-ping net-tools git python3 python3-pip vim-tiny && apt-get clean
+  iputils-ping net-tools git python3 python3-pip vim-tiny openssh-server && apt-get clean
 
 # Install VPP
-RUN mkdir -p /var/log/vpp
+RUN mkdir -p /var/log/vpp /root/.ssh/
 RUN curl -s https://packagecloud.io/install/repositories/fdio/${REPO}/script.deb.sh |  bash
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get -y install vpp vpp-plugin-core && apt-get clean
 
diff --git a/files/init-container.sh b/files/init-container.sh
index 844b3da..00bc5a9 100755
--- a/files/init-container.sh
+++ b/files/init-container.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ echo "Creating dataplane namespace"
 /usr/bin/touch /etc/netns/$NETNS/resolv.conf
 /usr/sbin/ip netns add $NETNS
 
+echo "Starting SSH, with credentials root:vpp"
+sed -i -e 's,^#PermitRootLogin prohibit-password,PermitRootLogin yes,' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
+sed -i -e 's,^root:.*,root:$y$j9T$kG8pyZEVmwLXEtXekQCRK.$9iJxq/bEx5buni1hrC8VmvkDHRy7ZMsw9wYvwrzexID:20211::::::,' /etc/shadow
+/etc/init.d/ssh start
+
 echo "Generating $CLAB_VPP_FILE"
 : > $CLAB_VPP_FILE
 MTU=9216