diff --git a/debian12-fr.sh b/debian12-fr.sh
index f6b1017..777d086 100644
--- a/debian12-fr.sh
+++ b/debian12-fr.sh
@@ -566,6 +566,7 @@ if [ "$CLOUD_INIT" == "yes" ]; then
 package_update: true
 packages:
   - locales
+  - kbd
   - console-setup
   - keyboard-configuration
 
@@ -593,15 +594,17 @@ runcmd:
   - locale-gen ${LOCALE} || true
   - update-locale LANG=${LOCALE} || true
 
-  # keyboard (debconf + reconfigure)
+  # force console keymap to FR (needs kbd)
+  - loadkeys ${CONSOLE_KEYMAP} || true
+
+  # configure keyboard debian way (persists)
   - echo 'keyboard-configuration keyboard-configuration/layoutcode string ${KB_LAYOUT}' | debconf-set-selections
   - echo 'keyboard-configuration keyboard-configuration/modelcode string pc105' | debconf-set-selections
   - DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration || true
-
-  # apply to console
+  - DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive dpkg-reconfigure console-setup || true
   - setupcon -k || true
 
-  # systemd-localed (if present)
+  # systemd-localed (optional)
   - command -v localectl >/dev/null 2>&1 && localectl set-locale LANG=${LOCALE} || true
   - command -v localectl >/dev/null 2>&1 && localectl set-keymap ${CONSOLE_KEYMAP} || true
 EOF