diff --git a/ingestor/ingestor.py b/ingestor/ingestor.py
index fb039c7..681e64d 100644
--- a/ingestor/ingestor.py
+++ b/ingestor/ingestor.py
@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ class Ingestor:
         """
 
         kafka_servers = getenv("KAFKA_SERVERS", "localhost:9092")
-        self.export_to_kafka = getenv("EXPORT_TO_KAFKA", "false")
+        export_to_kafka = getenv("EXPORT_TO_KAFKA", "false")
+
+        if export_to_kafka and export_to_kafka == "true":
+            export_to_kafka = True
+        else:
+            export_to_kafka = False
+
+        self.export_to_kafka = export_to_kafka
         self.redis_host = getenv("REDIS_HOST", "localhost")
         self.redis_port = int(getenv("REDIS_PORT", "6379"))
         self.redis_username = getenv("REDIS_USERNAME", None)
diff --git a/values.yaml b/values.yaml
index e597849..6a35bc5 100644
--- a/values.yaml
+++ b/values.yaml
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ env:
   # Application variables
   - name: KAFKA_SERVERS
     value: "kafka.kafka.svc.cluster.local:9092"
+  - name: EXPORT_TO_KAFKA
+    value: "false"
+
   - name: REDIS_HOST
     value: "redis-master.redis.svc.cluster.local"
   - name: REDIS_PORT