diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
index e57b19c847806..a3e5749384c0b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.test.ts
@@ -327,6 +327,25 @@ input: logs
     });
   });
 
+  it('should support $$$$ yaml values at root level', () => {
+    const streamTemplate = `
+input: logs
+{{custom}}
+    `;
+    const vars = {
+      custom: {
+        type: 'yaml',
+        value: 'test: $$$$',
+      },
+    };
+
+    const output = compileTemplate(vars, streamTemplate);
+    expect(output).toEqual({
+      input: 'logs',
+      test: '$$$$',
+    });
+  });
+
   it('should suport !!str for string values', () => {
     const stringTemplate = `
 my-package:
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
index 9a26394cd1cb1..f1187e3629c0b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/fleet/server/services/epm/agent/agent.ts
@@ -164,8 +164,7 @@ function replaceRootLevelYamlVariables(yamlVariables: { [k: string]: any }, yaml
 
   let patchedTemplate = yamlTemplate;
   Object.entries(yamlVariables).forEach(([key, val]) => {
-    patchedTemplate = patchedTemplate.replace(
-      new RegExp(`^"${key}"`, 'gm'),
+    patchedTemplate = patchedTemplate.replace(new RegExp(`^"${key}"`, 'gm'), () =>
       val ? safeDump(val) : ''
     );
   });