diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
index 0110df19175223..e3e422dda50094 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
@@ -22,12 +22,16 @@ password: {{password}}
 {{#if password}}
 hidden_password: {{password}}
 {{/if}}
+{{#if optional_field}}
+optional_field: {{optional_field}}
+{{/if}}
 foo: {{bar}}
 some_text_field: {{should_be_text}}
       `;
     const vars = {
       paths: { value: ['/usr/local/var/log/nginx/access.log'] },
       password: { type: 'password', value: '' },
+      optional_field: { type: 'text', value: undefined },
       bar: { type: 'text', value: 'bar' },
       should_be_text: { type: 'text', value: '1234' },
     };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
index d279eb3088ab7d..5e1d823767fb57 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function buildTemplateVariables(variables: PackagePolicyConfigRecord, templateSt
     } else if (
       recordEntry.type &&
       recordEntry.type === 'text' &&
-      recordEntry.value.length &&
+      recordEntry.value?.length &&
       !isNaN(+recordEntry.value)
     ) {
       varPart[lastKeyPart] = `"${recordEntry.value}"`;