diff --git a/deploy/crds/vms-crd.yaml b/deploy/crds/vms-crd.yaml
index 7e321da..9de714b 100644
--- a/deploy/crds/vms-crd.yaml
+++ b/deploy/crds/vms-crd.yaml
@@ -965,6 +965,21 @@ spec:
                       additionalProperties:
                         type: string
                         nullable: true
+                cloudInit:
+                  type: object
+                  description: >-
+                    Provides data for generating a cloud-init ISO
+                    image that is attached to the VM.
+                  properties:
+                    metaData:
+                      description: Copied to cloud-init's meta-data file.
+                      type: object
+                      additionalProperties:
+                        type: string
+                    userData:
+                      description: Copied to cloud-init's user-data file.
+                      type: object
+                      x-kubernetes-preserve-unknown-fields: true
                 vm:
                   type: object
                   description: Defines the VM.
diff --git a/dev-example/.gitignore b/dev-example/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..925478d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-example/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/test-vm-ci.yaml
diff --git a/dev-example/test-vm-shell.yaml b/dev-example/test-vm-shell.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8137694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev-example/test-vm-shell.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+kind: Pod
+apiVersion: v1
+metadata:
+  name: test-vm-shell
+  namespace: vmop-dev
+spec:
+  volumes:
+    - name: test-vm-system-disk
+      persistentVolumeClaim:
+        claimName: system-disk-test-vm-0
+    - name: vmop-image-repository
+      persistentVolumeClaim:
+        claimName: vmop-image-repository
+  containers:
+    - name: test-vm-shell
+      image: archlinux/archlinux
+      args:
+        - bash
+      imagePullPolicy: Always
+      stdin: true
+      stdinOnce: true
+      tty: true
+      volumeDevices:
+        - name: test-vm-system-disk
+          devicePath: /dev/test-vm-system-disk
+      volumeMounts:
+        - name: vmop-image-repository
+          mountPath: /var/local/vmop-image-repository
+      securityContext:
+        privileged: true
diff --git a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
index d49e705..64c5cbf 100644
--- a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
+++ b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
@@ -44,7 +44,22 @@ data:
       <#if cr.spec.runnerTemplate?? && cr.spec.runnerTemplate.update?? >
       updateTemplate: ${ cr.spec.runnerTemplate.update.asBoolean?c }
       </#if>
-    
+
+      # Forward the cloud-init data if provided
+      <#if cr.spec.cloudInit??>    
+      cloudInit:
+        <#if cr.spec.cloudInit.metaData??>
+        metaData: ${ cr.spec.cloudInit.metaData.toString() }
+        <#else>
+        metaData: {}
+        </#if>
+        <#if cr.spec.cloudInit.userData??>
+        userData: ${ cr.spec.cloudInit.userData.toString() }
+        <#else>
+        userData: {}
+        </#if>
+      </#if>
+      
       # Define the VM (required)
       vm:
         # The VM's name (required)