diff --git a/helpers/helm_base.yaml b/helpers/helm_base.yaml
index 560fac040d5c03f3225edbf26d6d2d39a3e93e92..137f30a6c745cb3bd8dc21a4e9e086ea57045e58 100644
--- a/helpers/helm_base.yaml
+++ b/helpers/helm_base.yaml
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
   extends: .docker_based_job
 #  image: gitlab.ssec.wisc.edu:5555/cspp_geo/geosphere/geosphere-deploy/cichart:latest
   image: gitlab.ssec.wisc.edu:5555/cspp_geo/geosphere/gcloud-kubectl-helm/gcloud-kubectl-helm:6d3e308b
-  variables:
-    KUBECONFIG: "$kubekorner_k3s_config"
   before_script:
+    - export KUBECONFIG="$kubekorner_k3s_config"
     - docker info
     - docker login -u ${CI_REGISTRY_USER} -p ${CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD} ${CI_REGISTRY}
 #    - source ./helpers/shell_aliases.sh