diff --git a/charms/jupyter-ui/src/templates/spawner_ui_config.yaml.j2 b/charms/jupyter-ui/src/templates/spawner_ui_config.yaml.j2
index bf1baa44..88aba16a 100644
--- a/charms/jupyter-ui/src/templates/spawner_ui_config.yaml.j2
+++ b/charms/jupyter-ui/src/templates/spawner_ui_config.yaml.j2
@@ -38,12 +38,18 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
   ################################################################
   image:
     # the default container image
+    {%- if jupyter_images_default %}
     value: {{ jupyter_images_default }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: ""
+    {%- endif %}
 
     # the list of available container images in the dropdown
-    options:
     {%- if jupyter_images | length > 0 %}
+    options:
     {{ jupyter_images | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    options: []
     {%- endif %}
 
   ################################################################
@@ -59,12 +65,18 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
   ################################################################
   imageGroupOne:
     # the default container image
+    {%- if vscode_images_default %}
     value: {{ vscode_images_default }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: ""
+    {%- endif %}
 
     # the list of available container images in the dropdown
-    options:
     {%- if vscode_images | length > 0 %}
+    options:
     {{ vscode_images | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    options: []
     {%- endif %}
 
   ################################################################
@@ -82,12 +94,18 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
   ################################################################
   imageGroupTwo:
     # the default container image
+    {%- if rstudio_images_default %}
     value: {{ rstudio_images_default }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: ""
+    {%- endif %}
 
     # the list of available container images in the dropdown
-    options:
     {%- if rstudio_images | length > 0 %}
+    options:
     {{ rstudio_images | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    options: []
     {%- endif %}
 
   ################################################################
@@ -127,14 +145,20 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
     value:
       # the `limitKey` of the default vendor
       # (to have no default, set as "")
+      {%- if gpu_vendors_default %}
       vendor: {{ gpu_vendors_default }}
+      {%- else %}
+      vendor: ""
+      {%- endif %}
 
       # the list of available vendors in the dropdown
       #  `limitsKey` - what will be set as the actual limit
       #  `uiName` - what will be displayed in the dropdown UI
-      vendors:
       {%- if gpu_vendors | length > 0 %}
+      vendors:
       {{ gpu_vendors | to_yaml | indent(6) }}
+      {%- else %}
+      vendors: []
       {%- endif %}
 
       # the default value of the limit
@@ -200,12 +224,18 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
     # the `configKey` of the default affinity config
     # (to have no default, set as "")
     # (if `readOnly`, the default `value` will be the only accessible option)
+    {%- if affinity_options_default %}
     value: {{ affinity_options_default }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: ""
+    {%- endif %}
 
     # the list of available affinity configs in the dropdown
-    options:
     {%- if affinity_options | length > 0 %}
+    options:
     {{ affinity_options | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    options: []
     {%- endif %}
 
     #options:
@@ -243,12 +273,18 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
     # the `groupKey` of the default toleration group
     # (to have no default, set as "")
     # (if `readOnly`, the default `value` will be the only accessible option)
+    {%- if tolerations_options_default %}
     value: {{ tolerations_options_default }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: ""
+    {%- endif %}
 
     # the list of available toleration groups in the dropdown
-    options:
     {%- if tolerations_options | length > 0 %}
+    options:
     {{ tolerations_options | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    options: []
     {%- endif %}
 
     #options:
@@ -301,9 +337,11 @@ spawnerFormDefaults:
 
     # the list of PodDefault names that are selected by default
     # (take care to ensure these PodDefaults exist in Profile Namespaces)
-    value:
     {%- if default_poddefaults | length > 0 %}
+    value:
     {{ default_poddefaults | to_yaml | indent(4) }}
+    {%- else %}
+    value: []
     {%- endif %}
 
   ################################################################
diff --git a/charms/jupyter-ui/tests/unit/test_operator.py b/charms/jupyter-ui/tests/unit/test_operator.py
index 86a33e15..f3c682d7 100644
--- a/charms/jupyter-ui/tests/unit/test_operator.py
+++ b/charms/jupyter-ui/tests/unit/test_operator.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #
 
 """Unit tests for JupyterUI Charm."""
-
+import copy
 import logging
 from contextlib import nullcontext as does_not_raise
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
@@ -393,21 +393,23 @@ def test_notebook_configurations(
             (
                 dict(
                     jupyter_images_config=OptionsWithDefault(
-                        default="", options=["jupyterimage1", "jupyterimage2"]
+                        default="jupyterimage1", options=["jupyterimage1", "jupyterimage2"]
                     ),
                     vscode_images_config=OptionsWithDefault(
-                        default="", options=["vscodeimage1", "vscodeimage2"]
+                        default="vscodeimage1", options=["vscodeimage1", "vscodeimage2"]
                     ),
                     rstudio_images_config=OptionsWithDefault(
-                        default="", options=["rstudioimage1", "rstudioimage2"]
+                        default="rstudioimage1", options=["rstudioimage1", "rstudioimage2"]
                     ),
                     gpu_number_default=1,
-                    gpu_vendors_config=OptionsWithDefault(default="", options=GPU_VENDORS_CONFIG),
+                    gpu_vendors_config=OptionsWithDefault(
+                        default="nvidia", options=GPU_VENDORS_CONFIG
+                    ),
                     affinity_options_config=OptionsWithDefault(
-                        default="", options=AFFINITY_OPTIONS_CONFIG
+                        default="test-affinity-config-1", options=AFFINITY_OPTIONS_CONFIG
                     ),
                     tolerations_options_config=OptionsWithDefault(
-                        default="", options=TOLERATIONS_OPTIONS_CONFIG
+                        default="test-tolerations-group-1", options=TOLERATIONS_OPTIONS_CONFIG
                     ),
                     default_poddefaults_config=OptionsWithDefault(
                         default="", options=DEFAULT_PODDEFAULTS_CONFIG
@@ -428,19 +430,8 @@ def test_render_jwa_file(
         # Arrange
         render_args = render_jwa_file_with_images_config_args
 
-        # Build the expected results, converting empty values to None to match the output of the
-        # function
-        expected = {
-            k: (
-                OptionsWithDefault(
-                    default=(config.default if config.default else None),
-                    options=(config.options if config.options else None),
-                )
-                if k != "gpu_number_default"
-                else config
-            )
-            for k, config in render_args.items()
-        }
+        # Build the expected results
+        expected = copy.deepcopy(render_args)
 
         harness.set_leader(True)
         harness.begin()