diff --git a/templates/cluster-template.yaml b/templates/cluster-template.yaml
index 8a3730426..930c70030 100644
--- a/templates/cluster-template.yaml
+++ b/templates/cluster-template.yaml
@@ -90,11 +90,12 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   template:
     spec:
-      image: ${LINODE_OS}
+      image: ${LINODE_OS:=""}
       type: ${LINODE_CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_TYPE}
       region: ${LINODE_REGION}
+      rootPass: ${LINODE_ROOT_PASS:=""}
       authorizedKeys:
-        - ${LINODE_SSH_KEY}
+        - ${LINODE_SSH_KEY:=""}
 ---
 apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: MachineDeployment
@@ -126,11 +127,12 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   template:
     spec:
-      image: ${LINODE_OS}
+      image: ${LINODE_OS:=""}
       type: ${LINODE_MACHINE_TYPE}
       region: ${LINODE_REGION}
+      rootPass: ${LINODE_ROOT_PASS:=""}
       authorizedKeys:
-        - ${LINODE_SSH_KEY}
+        - ${LINODE_SSH_KEY:=""}
 ---
 apiVersion: bootstrap.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: KubeadmConfigTemplate