diff --git a/helm/openwhisk/templates/_helpers.tpl b/helm/openwhisk/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 847ef8e2..30eed5c7 100644
--- a/helm/openwhisk/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/helm/openwhisk/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -335,14 +335,14 @@ imagePullSecrets:
 {{/* nginx cert */}}
 {{- define "openwhisk.nginx_cert" -}}
 {{- if .Values.nginx.certificate.external }}
-{{ .Files.Get .Values.nginx.certificate.cert_file }}
+{{ .Files.Get .Values.nginx.certificate.cert_file | b64enc }}
 {{- end -}}
 {{- end -}}
 
 {{/* nginx key */}}
 {{- define "openwhisk.nginx_key" -}}
 {{- if .Values.nginx.certificate.external }}
-{{ .Files.Get .Values.nginx.certificate.key_file }}
+{{ .Files.Get .Values.nginx.certificate.key_file | b64enc }}
 {{- end -}}
 {{- end -}}
 
diff --git a/helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-cm.yaml b/helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-secret.yaml
similarity index 98%
rename from helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-cm.yaml
rename to helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-secret.yaml
index 65f90385..9ba5a2d7 100644
--- a/helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-cm.yaml
+++ b/helm/openwhisk/templates/gen-certs-secret.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 {{- if or (eq .Values.whisk.ingress.type "NodePort") (eq .Values.whisk.ingress.type "LoadBalancer") }}
 apiVersion: v1
-kind: ConfigMap
+kind: Secret
 metadata:
   name: {{ .Release.Name }}-gen-certs
   labels:
diff --git a/helm/openwhisk/templates/nginx-pod.yaml b/helm/openwhisk/templates/nginx-pod.yaml
index 5b040d66..6c4f9afa 100644
--- a/helm/openwhisk/templates/nginx-pod.yaml
+++ b/helm/openwhisk/templates/nginx-pod.yaml
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ spec:
       {{- if or (eq .Values.whisk.ingress.type "NodePort") (eq .Values.whisk.ingress.type "LoadBalancer") }}
       {{- if .Values.nginx.certificate.external }}
       - name: nginx-certs
-        configMap:
-          name: {{ .Release.Name }}-gen-certs
+        secret:
+          secretName: {{ .Release.Name }}-gen-certs
       {{- else }}
       - name: nginx-certs
         secret: