diff --git a/charts/gke-operator/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/gke-operator/templates/deployment.yaml
index dbf54990..29fc6b91 100644
--- a/charts/gke-operator/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/gke-operator/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ spec:
         runAsUser: 1007
       containers:
       - name: rancher-gke-operator
-        image: {{ template "system_default_registry" . }}{{ .Values.gkeOperator.image.repository }}:{{ .Values.gkeOperator.image.tag }}
+        image: '{{ template "system_default_registry" $ }}{{ $.Values.gkeOperator.image.repository }}:{{ $.Values.gkeOperator.image.tag }}'
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         env:
         - name: HTTP_PROXY