diff --git a/elasticsearch/values.yaml b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
index 0e81c8f..8a4dc9e 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/values.yaml
+++ b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
@@ -578,10 +578,9 @@ postStart:
       - -c
       - |
         set -euo pipefail
-        ES_ENCODED_PASSWORD=$(printf "%s" "$ES_PASSWORD" | sed 's/%/%25/g')
         echo "[postStart] Waiting for Elasticsearch to be ready..." >&2
         for ((i=1; i<=MAX_RETRIES; i++)); do
-          if /usr/bin/curl --cacert "$CA_CERT" -s -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ES_ENCODED_PASSWORD" "$ES_URL" >/dev/null; then
+          if /usr/bin/curl --cacert "$CA_CERT" -s -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ELASTIC_PASSWORD" "$ES_URL" >/dev/null; then
             echo "[postStart] Elasticsearch is up after $i attempts!" >&2
             break
           fi
@@ -593,21 +592,21 @@ postStart:
         done
         echo "[postStart] Loading index template from $TEMPLATE_PATH" >&2
         if ! /usr/bin/curl --cacert "$CA_CERT" -X PUT "$ES_URL/chat_v1_idx" \
-             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ES_ENCODED_PASSWORD" \
+             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ES_PASSWORD" \
              -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
              --data-binary @"$TEMPLATE_PATH_1"; then
           echo "[postStart] ERROR: Failed to apply index template!" >&2
           exit 1
         fi
         if ! /usr/bin/curl --cacert "$CA_CERT" -X PUT "$ES_URL/message_v1_idx" \
-             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ES_ENCODED_PASSWORD" \
+             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ELASTIC_PASSWORD" \
              -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
              --data-binary @"$TEMPLATE_PATH_2"; then
           echo "[postStart] ERROR: Failed to apply index template!" >&2
           exit 1
         fi
         if ! /usr/bin/curl --cacert "$CA_CERT" -X PUT "$ES_URL/user_v1_idx" \
-             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ES_ENCODED_PASSWORD" \
+             -u "$ES_USERNAME:$ELASTIC_PASSWORD" \
              -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
              --data-binary @"$TEMPLATE_PATH_3"; then
           echo "[postStart] ERROR: Failed to apply index template!" >&2