diff --git a/src/Program.cs b/src/Program.cs
index a24be61..3c0191d 100644
--- a/src/Program.cs
+++ b/src/Program.cs
@@ -1,17 +1,23 @@
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
 namespace Microsoft.Azure.SpaceFx.PlatformServices.Deployment;
 
 public class Program {
     public static void Main(string[] args) {
         var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
 
+        string _secretDir = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR") ?? throw new Exception("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR environment variable not set");
         // Load the configuration being supplicated by the cluster first
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine("{env:SPACEFX_CONFIG_DIR}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine($"{_secretDir}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: false, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
         builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.{env:DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        string? dotnet_env = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT");
+        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dotnet_env))
+            builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), $"appsettings.{dotnet_env}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+
+
 
         builder.WebHost.ConfigureKestrel(options => options.ListenAnyIP(50051, o => o.Protocols = HttpProtocols.Http2))
         .ConfigureServices((services) => {
diff --git a/test/debugClient/Program.cs b/test/debugClient/Program.cs
index 934d26a..106146c 100644
--- a/test/debugClient/Program.cs
+++ b/test/debugClient/Program.cs
@@ -4,14 +4,17 @@ public class Program {
     public static void Main(string[] args) {
         var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
 
+        string _secretDir = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR") ?? throw new Exception("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR environment variable not set");
         // Load the configuration being supplicated by the cluster first
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine("{env:SPACEFX_CONFIG_DIR}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine($"{_secretDir}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: false, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
         builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.{env:DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        string? dotnet_env = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT");
+        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dotnet_env))
+            builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), $"appsettings.{dotnet_env}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         builder.WebHost.ConfigureKestrel(options => options.ListenAnyIP(50051, o => o.Protocols = HttpProtocols.Http2))
         .ConfigureServices((services) => {
diff --git a/test/integrationTests/TestSharedContext.cs b/test/integrationTests/TestSharedContext.cs
index 92bceef..9139e1e 100644
--- a/test/integrationTests/TestSharedContext.cs
+++ b/test/integrationTests/TestSharedContext.cs
@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ public TestSharedContext() {
         K8S_CLIENT = new k8s.Kubernetes(config);
 
         var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder();
+        string _secretDir = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR") ?? throw new Exception("SPACEFX_SECRET_DIR environment variable not set");
         // Load the configuration being supplicated by the cluster first
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine("{env:SPACEFX_CONFIG_DIR}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine($"{_secretDir}", "config", "appsettings.json"), optional: false, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
         builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         // Load any local appsettings incase they're overriding the cluster values
-        builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "appsettings.{env:DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
+        string? dotnet_env = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT");
+        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dotnet_env))
+            builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile(Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), $"appsettings.{dotnet_env}.json"), optional: true, reloadOnChange: false);
 
         builder.WebHost.ConfigureKestrel(options => options.ListenAnyIP(50051, o => o.Protocols = HttpProtocols.Http2))
         .ConfigureServices((services) => {