diff --git a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/utils.ts b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/utils.ts
index bf637b6..6fff667 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/utils.ts
@@ -111,11 +111,13 @@ export function writeEntryPointScript(
   if (environmentVariables && Object.entries(environmentVariables).length) {
     const envBuffer: string[] = []
     for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(environmentVariables)) {
+      if (key.includes(`=`) || key.includes(`'`) || key.includes(`"`)) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `environment key ${key} is invalid - the key must not contain =, ' or "`
+        )
+      }
       envBuffer.push(
-        `"${key}=${value
-          .replace(/\\/g, '\\\\')
-          .replace(/"/g, '\\"')
-          .replace(/=/g, '\\=')}"`
+        `"${key}=${value.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"')}"`
       )
     }
     environmentPrefix = `env ${envBuffer.join(' ')} `