diff --git a/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index e47e47db2..c3c60aade 100644
--- a/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ Only PEM encrypted key files (old OpenSSH format) are supported. Encrypted keys
 in the new OpenSSH format can't be used.`,
 			IsPassword: true,
 			Sensitive:  true,
+		}, {
+			Name: "pubkey",
+			Help: `SSH public certificate for public certificate based authentication.
+Set this if you have a signed certificate you want to use for authentication.
+If specified will override pubkey_file.`,
 		}, {
 			Name: "pubkey_file",
 			Help: `Optional path to public key file.
@@ -511,6 +516,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	KeyPem                  string          `config:"key_pem"`
 	KeyFile                 string          `config:"key_file"`
 	KeyFilePass             string          `config:"key_file_pass"`
+	PubKey                  string          `config:"pubkey"`
 	PubKeyFile              string          `config:"pubkey_file"`
 	KnownHostsFile          string          `config:"known_hosts_file"`
 	KeyUseAgent             bool            `config:"key_use_agent"`
@@ -997,13 +1003,21 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 		}
 
 		// If a public key has been specified then use that
-		if pubkeyFile != "" {
-			certfile, err := os.ReadFile(pubkeyFile)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to read cert file: %w", err)
+		if pubkeyFile != "" || opt.PubKey != "" {
+			pubKeyRaw := []byte(opt.PubKey)
+			// Use this error if public key is provided inline and is not a certificate
+			// if public key file is provided instead, use the err in the if block
+			notACertError := errors.New("public key provided is not a certificate: " + opt.PubKey)
+			if opt.PubKey == "" {
+				notACertError = errors.New("public key file is not a certificate file: " + pubkeyFile)
+				err := error(nil)
+				pubKeyRaw, err = os.ReadFile(pubkeyFile)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to read cert file: %w", err)
+				}
 			}
 
-			pk, _, _, _, err := ssh.ParseAuthorizedKey(certfile)
+			pk, _, _, _, err := ssh.ParseAuthorizedKey(pubKeyRaw)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse cert file: %w", err)
 			}
@@ -1017,7 +1031,7 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 			// knows everything it needs.
 			cert, ok := pk.(*ssh.Certificate)
 			if !ok {
-				return nil, errors.New("public key file is not a certificate file: " + pubkeyFile)
+				return nil, notACertError
 			}
 			pubsigner, err := ssh.NewCertSigner(cert, signer)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmdtest/environment_test.go b/cmdtest/environment_test.go
index 2c161bf49..47410c687 100644
--- a/cmdtest/environment_test.go
+++ b/cmdtest/environment_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-// TestCmdTest demonstrates and verifies the test functions for end-to-end testing of rclone
+// TestEnvironmentVariables demonstrates and verifies the test functions for end-to-end testing of rclone
 func TestEnvironmentVariables(t *testing.T) {
 
 	createTestEnvironment(t)
diff --git a/docs/content/sftp.md b/docs/content/sftp.md
index 2ba4a48a7..56f4d98dc 100644
--- a/docs/content/sftp.md
+++ b/docs/content/sftp.md
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ and the public key built into it will be used during the authentication process.
 If you have a certificate you may use it to sign your public key, creating a
 separate SSH user certificate that should be used instead of the plain public key
 extracted from the private key. Then you must provide the path to the
-user certificate public key file in `pubkey_file`.
+user certificate public key file in `pubkey_file` or the content of the file in `pubkey`.
 
 Note: This is not the traditional public key paired with your private key,
 typically saved as `/home/$USER/.ssh/id_rsa.pub`. Setting this path in
@@ -494,6 +494,19 @@ Properties:
 - Type:        string
 - Required:    false
 
+#### --sftp-pubkey
+
+SSH public certificate for public certificate based authentication.
+Set this if you have a signed certificate you want to use for authentication.
+If specified will override pubkey_file.
+
+Properties:
+
+- Config:      pubkey
+- Env Var:     RCLONE_SFTP_PUBKEY
+- Type:        string
+- Required:    false
+
 #### --sftp-pubkey-file
 
 Optional path to public key file.
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 59871540d..a2dc6a598 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.19.1
 	github.com/putdotio/go-putio/putio v0.0.0-20200123120452-16d982cac2b8
 	github.com/quasilyte/go-ruleguard/dsl v0.3.22
-	github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3-0.20240807151802-e80146f8de87
+	github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3
 	github.com/rfjakob/eme v1.1.2
 	github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7
 	github.com/rogpeppe/go-internal v1.12.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index aed62b100..40fd02896 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -521,8 +521,8 @@ github.com/quic-go/quic-go v0.40.1 h1:X3AGzUNFs0jVuO3esAGnTfvdgvL4fq655WaOi1snv1
 github.com/quic-go/quic-go v0.40.1/go.mod h1:PeN7kuVJ4xZbxSv/4OX6S1USOX8MJvydwpTx31vx60c=
 github.com/rasky/go-xdr v0.0.0-20170124162913-1a41d1a06c93 h1:UVArwN/wkKjMVhh2EQGC0tEc1+FqiLlvYXY5mQ2f8Wg=
 github.com/rasky/go-xdr v0.0.0-20170124162913-1a41d1a06c93/go.mod h1:Nfe4efndBz4TibWycNE+lqyJZiMX4ycx+QKV8Ta0f/o=
-github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3-0.20240807151802-e80146f8de87 h1:0YRo2aYhE+SCZsjWYMFe8zLD18xieXy7wQ8M9Ywcr/g=
-github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3-0.20240807151802-e80146f8de87/go.mod h1:z7+o2VUwitO0WuVHReQlOW9jZ03LpeJ0PUFSULyTIds=
+github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3 h1:0sKCxJ8TUUAG5KXGuc/fcDKGnzB/j6IjNQui9ntIZPo=
+github.com/rclone/gofakes3 v0.0.3/go.mod h1:z7+o2VUwitO0WuVHReQlOW9jZ03LpeJ0PUFSULyTIds=
 github.com/relvacode/iso8601 v1.3.0 h1:HguUjsGpIMh/zsTczGN3DVJFxTU/GX+MMmzcKoMO7ko=
 github.com/relvacode/iso8601 v1.3.0/go.mod h1:FlNp+jz+TXpyRqgmM7tnzHHzBnz776kmAH2h3sZCn0I=
 github.com/rfjakob/eme v1.1.2 h1:SxziR8msSOElPayZNFfQw4Tjx/Sbaeeh3eRvrHVMUs4=