diff --git a/nova/templates/deployment-novncproxy.yaml b/nova/templates/deployment-novncproxy.yaml
index faa6277586..96d28a19fb 100644
--- a/nova/templates/deployment-novncproxy.yaml
+++ b/nova/templates/deployment-novncproxy.yaml
@@ -182,11 +182,13 @@ spec:
           secret:
             secretName: nova-etc
             defaultMode: 0444
-{{- if $etcSources }}
         - name: nova-etc-snippets
+{{- if $etcSources }}
           projected:
             sources:
 {{ toYaml $etcSources | indent 14 }}
+{{- else }}
+          emptyDir: {}
 {{ end }}
         - name: pod-usr-share-novnc
           emptyDir: {}