diff --git a/deploy_templates.py b/deploy_templates.py
index 99b5568..f739632 100755
--- a/deploy_templates.py
+++ b/deploy_templates.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "default_spark_mem": "%dm" % spark_mb,
   "spark_worker_instances": "%d" %  worker_instances,
   "spark_worker_cores": "%d" %  worker_cores,
-  "spark_master_opts": os.getenv("SPARK_MASTER_OPTS"),
+  "spark_master_opts": os.getenv("SPARK_MASTER_OPTS", ""),
   "spark_version": os.getenv("SPARK_VERSION"),
   "shark_version": os.getenv("SHARK_VERSION"),
   "hadoop_major_version": os.getenv("HADOOP_MAJOR_VERSION"),