How to fix Error: failed to read values file in Kubernetes

KubernetesBEGINNERLOW

Helm cannot find or read the values YAML file specified with the -f flag.

What this error means

Helm looks for values files at the exact path specified. If the file doesn't exist, is unreadable, or has permissions issues, the operation fails before the chart is even rendered.

Typical symptoms

helm install/upgrade fails to read values file
"file not found" or permission error
Cannot proceed with chart deployment
Works without -f flag but fails with it
File exists but Helm cannot access it
Relative path issues in CI/CD environment

Common causes

File path is incorrect or typo
File does not exist at specified path
File permission issues (not readable)
Relative path used from wrong directory
File extension incorrect (e.g., .txt instead of .yaml)
File deleted or moved after reference

How to fix "Error: failed to read values file"

1Verify the values file exists

Check file presence:

bash

ls -la /path/to/values.yaml
file /path/to/values.yaml

2Use absolute path instead of relative

Always use full paths in automation:

bash

# Bad
helm install RELEASE CHART -f values.yaml

# Good
helm install RELEASE CHART -f /full/path/to/values.yaml
helm install RELEASE CHART -f "$(pwd)/values.yaml"

3Check file permissions

Ensure file is readable:

bash

chmod 644 values.yaml
ls -l values.yaml

Output should show read permission (r--).

4Validate YAML syntax

Check if the file is valid YAML:

bash

yaml-lint values.yaml
# Or use Python
python3 -c "import yaml; yaml.safe_load(open('values.yaml'))"

Advanced notes

In CI/CD, always resolve paths to absolute before using. Use environment variables to set paths (helm -f $VALUES_FILE). For sensitive data, use separate values files with restricted permissions. Consider using kube-seal or External Secrets to manage secrets. Test values file parsing with: helm template RELEASE CHART -f values.yaml > manifest.yaml

Related errors

Official resources & further reading

📚Kubernetes Official Documentation
📖
Helm: helm install(Official Docs)
📖
Helm: Specifying values(Official Docs)
📖
Helm: Values Files(Official Docs)