diff --git a/application/templates/_helpers.tpl b/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
index aae9add3..76ce78ac 100644
--- a/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ Usage:
 {{ include "application.tplvalues.render" ( dict "value" .Values.path.to.the.Value "context" $) }}
 */}}
 {{- define "application.tplvalues.render" -}}
-    {{- if typeIs "string" .value }}
-        {{- tpl .value .context }}
-    {{- else }}
-        {{- tpl (.value | toYaml) .context }}
-    {{- end }}
+    {{- $value := .value -}}
+    {{- if or (not $value) (kindIs "invalid" $value) -}}
+        {{- "" -}}
+    {{- else if typeIs "string" $value -}}
+        {{- tpl $value .context -}}
+    {{- else -}}
+        {{- tpl ($value | toYaml) .context -}}
+    {{- end -}}
 {{- end -}}
 
 {{/*
diff --git a/application/tests/cronjob_test.yaml b/application/tests/cronjob_test.yaml
index e22fbd0d..04d7faf0 100644
--- a/application/tests/cronjob_test.yaml
+++ b/application/tests/cronjob_test.yaml
@@ -330,6 +330,23 @@ tests:
           path: spec.jobTemplate.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
           value: custom-image
 
+  - it: does not render @null when digest field is omitted
+    set:
+      cronJob:
+        enabled: true
+        jobs:
+          example:
+            image:
+              repository: example-image
+              tag: example-tag
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.jobTemplate.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          value: example-image:example-tag
+      - notMatchRegex:
+          path: spec.jobTemplate.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          pattern: "@null"
+
   - it: configures automount service account token by default
     set:
       cronJob:
diff --git a/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml b/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
index fb274d01..4dedd736 100644
--- a/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
+++ b/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
@@ -88,6 +88,18 @@ tests:
           path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
           value: example-image:example-tag@sha256:example-digest
 
+  - it: does not render @null when digest field is omitted
+    set:
+      deployment.image.repository: example-image
+      deployment.image.tag: example-tag
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          value: example-image:example-tag
+      - notMatchRegex:
+          path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          pattern: "@null"
+
   - it: yields empty service account name when disabled
     set:
       rbac.serviceAccount.enabled: false
diff --git a/application/tests/job_test.yaml b/application/tests/job_test.yaml
index bbe144a5..107e8c92 100644
--- a/application/tests/job_test.yaml
+++ b/application/tests/job_test.yaml
@@ -329,6 +329,23 @@ tests:
           path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
           value: custom-image
 
+  - it: does not render @null when digest field is omitted
+    set:
+      job:
+        enabled: true
+        jobs:
+          example:
+            image:
+              repository: example-image
+              tag: example-tag
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          value: example-image:example-tag
+      - notMatchRegex:
+          path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
+          pattern: "@null"
+
   - it: configures automount service account token by default
     set:
       job: