diff --git a/k8s/base/driver.yaml b/k8s/base/driver.yaml
index 4443dfd..0c2777b 100644
--- a/k8s/base/driver.yaml
+++ b/k8s/base/driver.yaml
@@ -32,17 +32,17 @@ spec:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
             - name: SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAME
               value: "driver"
-            # service dependencies (<NAMESPACE> get replaced at runtime by the app)
+            # service dependencies
             - name: SIGNADOT_ROUTESERVER
               value: routeserver.signadot.svc:7777
             - name: ROUTE_ADDR
-              value: route.<NAMESPACE>:8083
+              value: route.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):8083
             - name: REDIS_ADDR
-              value: redis.<NAMESPACE>:6379
+              value: redis.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):6379
             - name: KAFKA_BROKER_ADDR
-              value: kafka-headless.<NAMESPACE>:9092
+              value: kafka-headless.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):9092
             - name: OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT
-              value: http://jaeger.<NAMESPACE>:4318
+              value: http://jaeger.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):4318
           image: signadot/hotrod:latest
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           readinessProbe:
diff --git a/k8s/base/frontend.yaml b/k8s/base/frontend.yaml
index 6c2ff03..d01cf35 100644
--- a/k8s/base/frontend.yaml
+++ b/k8s/base/frontend.yaml
@@ -32,15 +32,15 @@ spec:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
             - name: SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAME
               value: "frontend"
-            # service dependencies (<NAMESPACE> get replaced at runtime by the app)
+            # service dependencies
             - name: LOCATION_ADDR
-              value: location.<NAMESPACE>:8081
+              value: location.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):8081
             - name: REDIS_ADDR
-              value: redis.<NAMESPACE>:6379
+              value: redis.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):6379
             - name: KAFKA_BROKER_ADDR
-              value: kafka-headless.<NAMESPACE>:9092
+              value: kafka-headless.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):9092
             - name: OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT
-              value: http://jaeger.<NAMESPACE>:4318
+              value: http://jaeger.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):4318
           image: signadot/hotrod:latest
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           ports:
diff --git a/k8s/base/location.yaml b/k8s/base/location.yaml
index 10d53b4..8bdf45e 100644
--- a/k8s/base/location.yaml
+++ b/k8s/base/location.yaml
@@ -31,15 +31,15 @@ spec:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
             - name: SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAME
               value: location
-            # service dependencies (<NAMESPACE> get replaced at runtime by the app)
+            # service dependencies
             - name: MYSQL_ADDR
-              value: mysql.<NAMESPACE>:3306
+              value: mysql.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):3306
             - name: MYSQL_PASS
               value: abc
             - name: REDIS_ADDR
-              value: redis.<NAMESPACE>:6379
+              value: redis.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):6379
             - name: OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT
-              value: http://jaeger.<NAMESPACE>:4318
+              value: http://jaeger.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):4318
           image: signadot/hotrod:latest
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           ports:
diff --git a/k8s/base/route.yaml b/k8s/base/route.yaml
index 356c99e..9ddef1a 100644
--- a/k8s/base/route.yaml
+++ b/k8s/base/route.yaml
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ spec:
               value: "route"
             # service dependencies
             - name: REDIS_ADDR
-              value: redis.<NAMESPACE>:6379
+              value: redis.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):6379
             - name: OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT
-              value: http://jaeger.<NAMESPACE>:4318
+              value: http://jaeger.$(SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE):4318
           image: signadot/hotrod:latest
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           ports:
diff --git a/pkg/config/kafka.go b/pkg/config/kafka.go
index c5a5af3..7738f5a 100644
--- a/pkg/config/kafka.go
+++ b/pkg/config/kafka.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 func GetKafkaBrokerAddr() string {
-	return ExpandNamespace(EnvDefault("KAFKA_BROKER_ADDR", "kafka-headless:9092"))
+	return EnvDefault("KAFKA_BROKER_ADDR", "kafka-headless:9092")
 }
 
 func GetKafkaBrokers() []string {
diff --git a/pkg/config/location.go b/pkg/config/location.go
index 1a3ca49..4d81d2e 100644
--- a/pkg/config/location.go
+++ b/pkg/config/location.go
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ func GetLocationBindPort() string {
 }
 
 func GetLocationAddr() string {
-	return ExpandNamespace(EnvDefault("LOCATION_ADDR", "location:8081"))
+	return EnvDefault("LOCATION_ADDR", "location:8081")
 }
diff --git a/pkg/config/mysql.go b/pkg/config/mysql.go
index 77aacf8..0e5e8c5 100644
--- a/pkg/config/mysql.go
+++ b/pkg/config/mysql.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func GetMySQLAddr() string {
-	return ExpandNamespace(EnvDefault("MYSQL_ADDR", "mysql:3306"))
+	return EnvDefault("MYSQL_ADDR", "mysql:3306")
 }
 
 func GetMySQLUser() string {
diff --git a/pkg/config/namespace.go b/pkg/config/namespace.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 50caf14..0000000
--- a/pkg/config/namespace.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-package config
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-)
-
-func GetNamespace() string {
-	return EnvDefault("SIGNADOT_BASELINE_NAMESPACE", "hotrod")
-}
-
-func ExpandNamespace(v string) string {
-	return strings.ReplaceAll(v, "<NAMESPACE>", GetNamespace())
-}
diff --git a/pkg/config/otel.go b/pkg/config/otel.go
index 9aa31be..cad66a6 100644
--- a/pkg/config/otel.go
+++ b/pkg/config/otel.go
@@ -13,5 +13,5 @@ func InitOtelExporter() {
 	if addr == "" {
 		return
 	}
-	os.Setenv("OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT", ExpandNamespace(addr))
+	os.Setenv("OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT", addr)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/config/redis.go b/pkg/config/redis.go
index 2ea20b9..5bd61ad 100644
--- a/pkg/config/redis.go
+++ b/pkg/config/redis.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 func GetRedisAddr() string {
-	return ExpandNamespace(EnvDefault("REDIS_ADDR", "redis:6379"))
+	return EnvDefault("REDIS_ADDR", "redis:6379")
 }
 
 func GetRedisPassword() string {
diff --git a/pkg/config/route.go b/pkg/config/route.go
index 6b2d848..bb215bd 100644
--- a/pkg/config/route.go
+++ b/pkg/config/route.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func GetRouteAddr() string {
-	return ExpandNamespace(EnvDefault("ROUTE_ADDR", "route:8083"))
+	return EnvDefault("ROUTE_ADDR", "route:8083")
 }
 
 func GetRouteBindPort() string {