diff --git a/helm/dendrite/templates/_helpers.tpl b/helm/dendrite/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 026706588..e0f5d47f0 100644
--- a/helm/dendrite/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/helm/dendrite/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 {{- define "validate.config" }}
-{{- if not .Values.signing_key.create -}}
+{{- if not (or .Values.signing_key.create .Values.signing_key.existingSecret) -}}
 {{-  fail "You must create a signing key for configuration.signing_key. (see https://github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.md#server-key-generation)" -}}
 {{- end -}}
-{{- if not (or .Values.dendrite_config.global.database.host .Values.postgresql.enabled) -}}
-{{-  fail "Database server must be set." -}}
-{{- end -}}
-{{- if not (or .Values.dendrite_config.global.database.user .Values.postgresql.enabled) -}}
-{{-  fail "Database user must be set." -}}
-{{- end -}}
-{{- if not (or .Values.dendrite_config.global.database.password .Values.postgresql.enabled) -}}
-{{-  fail "Database password must be set." -}}
+{{- if not (or .Values.dendrite_config.global.database.connection_string .Values.postgresql.enabled) -}}
+{{-  fail "Database connection string must be set." -}}
 {{- end -}}
 {{- end -}}