diff --git a/community_backup/tests/__init__.py b/community_backup/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/community_backup/tests/test_models.py b/community_backup/tests/test_models.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74e2aa4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/community_backup/tests/test_models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
+from webui.models import BorgRepository
+
+
+class BorgRepositoryTestCase(TestCase):
+    def test_ssh_key_regex(self):
+        user = User.objects.create(username="foo")
+
+        # good repo
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(
+            name="test1",
+            key="ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3 jo@hubris",
+            user=user,
+        )
+
+        repo.full_clean()
+
+        # good repo, key without comment
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(
+            name="test2",
+            key="ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3",
+            user=user,
+        )
+        repo.full_clean()
+
+        # bad repo (wrong key)
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(name="test3", key="Foo", user=user)
+        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, repo.full_clean)
+
+        # bad repo (multiple valid keys )
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(
+            name="test4",
+            key="ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3 jo@hubris\nssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3 jo@hubris",
+            user=user,
+        )
+        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, repo.full_clean)
+
+        # bad repo, leading whitespace
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(
+            name="test5",
+            key=" ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3 jo@hubris",
+            user=user,
+        )
+        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, repo.full_clean)
+
+        # good repo, with whitespace in commment
+        repo = BorgRepository.objects.create(
+            name="test6",
+            key="ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIOYOkeGl40Bss9LMmreCtzq+uXw4IQ/E5SKsBRcKAfF3 jo@hubris whitespace in comment",
+            user=user,
+        )
+        repo.full_clean()
diff --git a/community_backup/webui/deployments.py b/community_backup/webui/deployments.py
index b56d1bc..527dda3 100644
--- a/community_backup/webui/deployments.py
+++ b/community_backup/webui/deployments.py
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ from django.conf import settings
 
 logger = getLogger("deployments")
 
-# sync users
-
 
 def sync_repos(dry_run=False):
     """Synchronize the repos"""
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ def sync_repos(dry_run=False):
 
     repos_by_key = defaultdict(list)
     for repo in repos:
-        repos_by_key[repo.key].append(repo)
+        repos_by_key[f"{repo.key_type} {repo.key_value}"].append(repo)
 
     # create .ssh directory
     ssh_dir = settings.BACKUP_AUTHORIZED_KEYS.parent
diff --git a/community_backup/webui/forms.py b/community_backup/webui/forms.py
index 99e774c..3ac0cb0 100644
--- a/community_backup/webui/forms.py
+++ b/community_backup/webui/forms.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class BorgRepositoryForm(forms.ModelForm):
     class Meta:
         fields = ["name", "key", "user"]
         model = BorgRepository
-        widgets = {"user": forms.HiddenInput()}
+        widgets = {"user": forms.HiddenInput(), "key": forms.TextInput()}
 
 
 class RegisterUserForm(UserCreationForm):
diff --git a/community_backup/webui/models.py b/community_backup/webui/models.py
index 75c1962..d04785a 100644
--- a/community_backup/webui/models.py
+++ b/community_backup/webui/models.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class BorgRepository(models.Model):
     key = models.TextField(
         validators=[
             RegexValidator(
-                r"(ssh\-rsa|ecdsa\-sha2\-nistp256|ssh\-ed25519) ([a-zA-Z0-9\+/=]+) (\S*)",
+                r"^(ssh\-rsa|ecdsa\-sha2\-nistp256|ssh\-ed25519) ([a-zA-Z0-9\+/=]+)( ([\S ]*))?$",
                 message="not a valid SSH public key.",
             ),
         ]
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ class BorgRepository(models.Model):
     def repo_url(self) -> str:
         return f"{settings.BACKUP_USER}@{settings.BACKUP_REPO_HOST}:{self.user.pk}/{self.pk}"
 
-    def save(self):
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
-        super().save()
+        super().save(*args, **kwargs)
         update_user.enqueue()
 
     def delete(self):
@@ -56,6 +56,45 @@ class BorgRepository(models.Model):
         super().delete()
         update_user.enqueue()
 
+    @property
+    def key_type(self) -> str:
+        return self.key.split(" ", 1)[0].strip()
+
+    @property
+    def key_value(self) -> str:
+        return self.key.split(" ", 2)[1].strip()
+
+    @property
+    def key_comment(self) -> str | None:
+        splits = self.key.split(" ", 2)
+        if len(splits) == 3:
+            return splits[2].strip()
+        return None
+
+    def truncated_key(self, length: int = 60):
+        """
+        Returns a truncated version of the key for display purposes.
+        The Key type and the comment are retained as much as possible.
+        """
+
+        # check how long the truncated part of the key may be at most.
+        max_len = length - len(self.key_type) - 1
+        if self.key_comment:
+            max_len = max_len - len(self.key_comment) - 1
+
+        if len(self.key_value) > max_len:
+            max_len -= 1  # remove one character if we add an ellipsis
+            trunc_key = self.key_value[:max_len] + "…"
+        else:
+            trunc_key = self.key_value
+
+        output = f"{self.key_type} {trunc_key}"
+
+        if self.key_comment:
+            output += f" {self.key_comment}"
+
+        return output
+
 
 class Voucher(models.Model):
     used = models.BooleanField(default=False)
diff --git a/community_backup/webui/templates/borg_list.html b/community_backup/webui/templates/borg_list.html
index b193fcd..cd508d4 100644
--- a/community_backup/webui/templates/borg_list.html
+++ b/community_backup/webui/templates/borg_list.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 {% for repo in object_list %}
     <tr>
       <td>{{ repo.name }}</td>
-      <td><code>{{ repo.key | truncatechars:40 }}</code></td>
+      <td><code>{{ repo.truncated_key }}</code></td>
       <td><code>{{ repo.repo_url}}</code></td>
       <td><a href="{% url 'borg_update' pk=repo.pk %}" class="btn btn-warning btn-sm">Edit</a>
       <a href="{% url 'borg_delete' pk=repo.pk %}" class="btn btn-danger btn-sm">Delete</a></td>