diff --git a/builder/files/boot/meta-data b/builder/files/boot/meta-data
index e69de29..beb41cd 100644
--- a/builder/files/boot/meta-data
+++ b/builder/files/boot/meta-data
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+instance-id: pirate001
diff --git a/builder/test-integration/spec/hypriotos-image/cloud-init_spec.rb b/builder/test-integration/spec/hypriotos-image/cloud-init_spec.rb
index 2d9ddc4..18314b2 100644
--- a/builder/test-integration/spec/hypriotos-image/cloud-init_spec.rb
+++ b/builder/test-integration/spec/hypriotos-image/cloud-init_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 describe file('/boot/meta-data') do
   it { should be_file }
+  its(:content) { should match /instance-id: / }
 end
 
 describe file('/var/lib/cloud/scripts/per-once/regenerate-machine-id') do