diff --git a/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/README.md b/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/README.md
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+++ b/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/README.md
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+
+Creates a sudo privileged user in the appliance VM that can be used for
+debugging connectivity issues via the console, when SSH connectivity is
+not possible. Note that an 'akanda' user is created by the RUG and setup
+to authenticate using a SSH public key. This element should only be included
+when building images for develoment environments.
+
+The username and password can be set in the build environment as
+$DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER and $DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_PASSWORD
+The defaults are akanda-debug/akanda.
diff --git a/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/install.d/50-debug-user b/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/install.d/50-debug-user
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+++ b/diskimage-builder/elements/debug-user/install.d/50-debug-user
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+#!/bin/bash
+
+DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER=${DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER:-akanda-debug}
+DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_PASSWORD=${DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_PASSWORD:-akanda}
+
+set -eu
+set -o xtrace
+
+useradd -m $DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER -s /bin/bash
+
+passwd $DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER <<EOF
+$DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_PASSWORD
+$DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_PASSWORD
+EOF
+
+cat > /etc/sudoers.d/akanda-debug-user <<eof
+$DIB_AKANDA_APPLIANCE_DEBUG_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
+eof
+
+chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/akanda-debug-user
+visudo -c