diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
index 4ab98e324..fb425af5c 100755
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if [[ "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_DATA_SETUP:-}" != "false" ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ -n "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY:-}" ]]; then
-  if [[ -z "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH}" ]]; then
+  if [[ -z "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH:-}" ]]; then
     export SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH=$(mktemp /tmp/ssh_private_key.XXXXXX)
   fi
   chmod 600 "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH}"