diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-core.rb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-core.rb
index 339c8cb..1829f93 100644
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-core.rb
+++ b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-core.rb
@@ -39,12 +39,11 @@ should_notify = OmnibusHelper.should_notify?("gitlab-core")
 
 secret_token_config = File.join(gitlab_core_etc_dir, "secret")
 
-template secret_token_config do
-  source "secret_token"
+file secret_token_config do
+  content node['gitlab']['gitlab-core']['secret_token']
   owner "root"
   group "root"
   mode "0644"
-  variables(node['gitlab']['gitlab-core'].to_hash)
   notifies :restart, 'service[gitlab-core]' if should_notify
 end
 
diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/secret_token.erb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/secret_token.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index e05f234..0000000
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/templates/default/secret_token.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<%= @secret_token %>
--
libgit2 0.21.2