A method, an information handling system (IHS), and a computer program product initiates injection verification to determine whether a key injection procedure to support automated system activation within a target IHS was completed successfully. An injection verification module (IVM) compares a copy of a selected and limited character sequence for a unique digital product key (DPK) utilized during key injection to a character sequence reported by an operating system (OS) image on a selected, target IHS. If the selected character sequence matches the reported character sequence, the IVM identifies the selected information handling system as a “passing” system on which the key injection procedure was successfully performed. If the selected character sequence for the unique DPK does not match the reported character sequence, the IVM identifies the selected information handling system as a “failing” system on which the key injection procedure was not successfully performed.