diff --git a/helm/biosdk-service/templates/deployment.yaml b/helm/biosdk-service/templates/deployment.yaml
index 078760d..bd9f96e 100644
--- a/helm/biosdk-service/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/helm/biosdk-service/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -109,9 +109,11 @@ spec:
             {{- end }}
             {{- end }}
             {{- if .Values.extraEnvVarsSecret }}
+            {{- range .Values.extraEnvVarsSecret }}
             - secretRef:
-                name: {{ include "common.tplvalues.render" (dict "value" .Values.extraEnvVarsSecret "context" $) }}
+                name: {{ . }}
             {{- end }}
+            {{- end }}  
           ports:
             - name: spring-service
               containerPort: {{ .Values.springServicePort }}
diff --git a/helm/biosdk-service/values.yaml b/helm/biosdk-service/values.yaml
index b438e56..7607f8e 100644
--- a/helm/biosdk-service/values.yaml
+++ b/helm/biosdk-service/values.yaml
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ extraEnvVarsCM:
 
 ## Secret with extra environment variables
 ##
-extraEnvVarsSecret:
+extraEnvVarsSecret: []
 
 ## Extra volumes to add to the deployment
 ##