diff --git a/api/v1beta2/gitrepository_types.go b/api/v1beta2/gitrepository_types.go
index 06e951da..9b9948b0 100644
--- a/api/v1beta2/gitrepository_types.go
+++ b/api/v1beta2/gitrepository_types.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ type GitRepositorySpec struct {
 	// the GitRepository.
 	// For HTTPS repositories the Secret must contain 'username' and 'password'
 	// fields.
-	// For SSH repositories the Secret must contain 'identity', 'identity.pub'
+	// For SSH repositories the Secret must contain 'identity'
 	// and 'known_hosts' fields.
 	// +optional
 	SecretRef *meta.LocalObjectReference `json:"secretRef,omitempty"`
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_gitrepositories.yaml b/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_gitrepositories.yaml
index 612b2a04..e4e6b97e 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_gitrepositories.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_gitrepositories.yaml
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ spec:
               secretRef:
                 description: The secret name containing the Git credentials. For HTTPS
                   repositories the secret must contain username and password fields.
-                  For SSH repositories the secret must contain identity, identity.pub
-                  and known_hosts fields.
+                  For SSH repositories the secret must contain identity and known_hosts
+                  fields.
                 properties:
                   name:
                     description: Name of the referent.
@@ -493,8 +493,7 @@ spec:
                 description: SecretRef specifies the Secret containing authentication
                   credentials for the GitRepository. For HTTPS repositories the Secret
                   must contain 'username' and 'password' fields. For SSH repositories
-                  the Secret must contain 'identity', 'identity.pub' and 'known_hosts'
-                  fields.
+                  the Secret must contain 'identity' and 'known_hosts' fields.
                 properties:
                   name:
                     description: Name of the referent.
diff --git a/docs/api/source.md b/docs/api/source.md
index d680ede8..52c3013f 100644
--- a/docs/api/source.md
+++ b/docs/api/source.md
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ github.com/fluxcd/pkg/apis/meta.LocalObjectReference
 the GitRepository.
 For HTTPS repositories the Secret must contain ‘username’ and ‘password’
 fields.
-For SSH repositories the Secret must contain ‘identity’, ‘identity.pub’
+For SSH repositories the Secret must contain ‘identity’
 and &lsquo;known_hosts&rsquo; fields.</p>
 </td>
 </tr>
@@ -1405,7 +1405,7 @@ github.com/fluxcd/pkg/apis/meta.LocalObjectReference
 the GitRepository.
 For HTTPS repositories the Secret must contain &lsquo;username&rsquo; and &lsquo;password&rsquo;
 fields.
-For SSH repositories the Secret must contain &lsquo;identity&rsquo;, &lsquo;identity.pub&rsquo;
+For SSH repositories the Secret must contain &lsquo;identity&rsquo;
 and &lsquo;known_hosts&rsquo; fields.</p>
 </td>
 </tr>
diff --git a/docs/spec/v1beta2/gitrepositories.md b/docs/spec/v1beta2/gitrepositories.md
index e922eb13..5e9df0d9 100644
--- a/docs/spec/v1beta2/gitrepositories.md
+++ b/docs/spec/v1beta2/gitrepositories.md
@@ -152,9 +152,8 @@ data:
 #### SSH authentication
 
 To authenticate towards a Git repository over SSH, the referenced Secret is
-expected to contain `.data.identity`, `.data.identity.pub` and `known_hosts`
-fields. With the respective private and public key of the SSH key pair, and the
-host keys of the Git repository.
+expected to contain `.data.identity` and `known_hosts` fields. With the respective
+private key of the SSH key pair, and the host keys of the Git repository.
 
 ```yaml
 ---
@@ -165,7 +164,6 @@ metadata:
 type: Opaque
 data:
   identity: <BASE64>
-  identity.pub: <BASE64>
   known_hosts: <BASE64>
 ```