diff --git a/internal/sync/secret_sync.go b/internal/sync/secret_sync.go
index 6320aebb..6b282a98 100644
--- a/internal/sync/secret_sync.go
+++ b/internal/sync/secret_sync.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"cmp"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
+	"maps"
 	"strconv"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ func (s *SecretSync) SyncObjects() {
 
 func setVariables(capiProvider *turtlesv1.CAPIProvider) {
 	if capiProvider.Spec.Variables != nil {
-		capiProvider.Status.Variables = capiProvider.Spec.Variables
+		maps.Copy(capiProvider.Status.Variables, capiProvider.Spec.Variables)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/capi-operator/capa-variables.yaml b/test/e2e/data/capi-operator/capa-variables.yaml
index 7cad0072..b5a3f36f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/capi-operator/capa-variables.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/capi-operator/capa-variables.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ metadata:
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: Secret
 metadata:
-  name: full-variables
+  name: aws
   namespace: capa-system
 type: Opaque
 stringData: