diff --git a/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-fns.ts b/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-fns.ts
index 8decf9fbd..3c152d853 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-fns.ts
+++ b/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-fns.ts
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ export const GitLabSyncFns = {
                 variable: {
                   value,
                   environment_scope: targetEnvironment,
-                  protected: destinationConfig.shouldProtectSecrets ?? existingVariable.protected,
-                  masked: existingVariable.masked || destinationConfig.shouldMaskSecrets
+                  protected: destinationConfig.shouldProtectSecrets,
+                  masked: destinationConfig.shouldMaskSecrets || existingVariable.hidden
                 },
                 targetEnvironment
               });
diff --git a/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-types.ts b/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-types.ts
index 1f11e8a80..7a52a4126 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-types.ts
+++ b/backend/src/services/secret-sync/gitlab/gitlab-sync-types.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export type TGitLabVariable = {
   protected: boolean;
   masked: boolean;
   environmentScope?: string;
+  hidden?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type TGitLabVariableCreate = {