diff --git a/backend/src/services/secret-v2-bridge/secret-v2-bridge-fns.ts b/backend/src/services/secret-v2-bridge/secret-v2-bridge-fns.ts
index f1042d20c..22fc04db3 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/secret-v2-bridge/secret-v2-bridge-fns.ts
+++ b/backend/src/services/secret-v2-bridge/secret-v2-bridge-fns.ts
@@ -444,6 +444,7 @@ export const expandSecretReferencesFactory = ({
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-continue
       if (depth > MAX_SECRET_REFERENCE_DEPTH) continue;
       const refs = value?.match(INTERPOLATION_SYNTAX_REG);
+      console.log("refs", refs);
 
       if (refs) {
         for (const interpolationSyntax of refs) {
@@ -518,7 +519,10 @@ export const expandSecretReferencesFactory = ({
           }
 
           if (referencedSecretValue) {
-            expandedValue = expandedValue.replaceAll(interpolationSyntax, referencedSecretValue);
+            expandedValue = expandedValue.replaceAll(
+              interpolationSyntax,
+              () => referencedSecretValue // prevents special characters from triggering replacement patterns
+            );
           }
         }
       }