diff --git a/charts/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/templates/deployment.yaml
index fd1e55e..ffb06c5 100644
--- a/charts/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ spec:
         command: ["/app/hyperfleet-api", "migrate"]
         volumeMounts:
         - name: secrets
-          mountPath: /build/secrets
+          mountPath: /app/secrets
           readOnly: true
       {{- end }}
       containers:
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ spec:
           mountPath: /tmp
         {{- if or .Values.database.external.enabled .Values.database.postgresql.enabled }}
         - name: secrets
-          mountPath: /build/secrets
+          mountPath: /app/secrets
           readOnly: true
         {{- end }}
         {{- if .Values.extraVolumeMounts }}
diff --git a/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_integration_testing.go b/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_integration_testing.go
index 8db7ea0..44fe69a 100755
--- a/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_integration_testing.go
+++ b/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_integration_testing.go
@@ -24,6 +24,18 @@ func (e *integrationTestingEnvImpl) OverrideConfig(c *config.ApplicationConfig)
 	if os.Getenv("DB_DEBUG") == "true" {
 		c.Database.Debug = true
 	}
+
+	// Integration tests use testcontainers — set defaults directly instead of reading from secret files
+	c.Database.HostFile = ""
+	c.Database.PortFile = ""
+	c.Database.NameFile = ""
+	c.Database.UsernameFile = ""
+	c.Database.PasswordFile = ""
+	c.Database.Name = "hyperfleet_test"
+	c.Database.Username = "test"
+	c.Database.Password = "test"
+	c.Database.Port = 5432
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_unit_testing.go b/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_unit_testing.go
index 81127e3..642fa35 100755
--- a/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_unit_testing.go
+++ b/cmd/hyperfleet-api/environments/e_unit_testing.go
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ func (e *unitTestingEnvImpl) OverrideConfig(c *config.ApplicationConfig) error {
 	if os.Getenv("DB_DEBUG") == "true" {
 		c.Database.Debug = true
 	}
+
+	// Clear secret file paths — unit tests use a mock DB and don't need real credentials
+	c.Database.HostFile = ""
+	c.Database.PortFile = ""
+	c.Database.NameFile = ""
+	c.Database.UsernameFile = ""
+	c.Database.PasswordFile = ""
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 326b7ba..edd8741 100755
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ func (c *ApplicationConfig) ReadFiles() []string {
 // Read the contents of file into integer value
 func readFileValueInt(file string, val *int) error {
 	fileContents, err := ReadFile(file)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || fileContents == "" {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ func readFileValueInt(file string, val *int) error {
 // Read the contents of file into string value
 func readFileValueString(file string, val *string) error {
 	fileContents, err := ReadFile(file)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || fileContents == "" {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ func readFileValueString(file string, val *string) error {
 // Read the contents of file into boolean value
 func readFileValueBool(file string, val *bool) error {
 	fileContents, err := ReadFile(file)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || fileContents == "" {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -122,10 +121,14 @@ func ReadFile(file string) (string, error) {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
-	// Ensure the absolute file path is used
+	// Resolve relative paths from the current working directory
 	absFilePath := unquotedFile
 	if !filepath.IsAbs(unquotedFile) {
-		absFilePath = filepath.Join(GetProjectRootDir(), unquotedFile)
+		wd, wdErr := os.Getwd()
+		if wdErr != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get working directory: %w", wdErr)
+		}
+		absFilePath = filepath.Join(wd, unquotedFile)
 	}
 
 	// Read the file
@@ -135,10 +138,3 @@ func ReadFile(file string) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return string(buf), nil
 }
-
-// GetProjectRootDir Return project root path based on the relative path of this file
-func GetProjectRootDir() string {
-	_, b, _, _ := runtime.Caller(0)
-	basepath := filepath.Dir(filepath.Join(b, "..", ".."))
-	return basepath
-}