diff --git a/deployer/src/main/kotlin/io/deepmedia/tools/deployer/model/Secret.kt b/deployer/src/main/kotlin/io/deepmedia/tools/deployer/model/Secret.kt
index 1953b13..468e571 100644
--- a/deployer/src/main/kotlin/io/deepmedia/tools/deployer/model/Secret.kt
+++ b/deployer/src/main/kotlin/io/deepmedia/tools/deployer/model/Secret.kt
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ private fun findSecret(key: String, providers: ProviderFactory, layout: ProjectL
 
     // Try with local.properties file.
     val dir = layout.projectDirectory.asFile
-    val local = localPropertiesCache.getOrPut(dir) { dir.localProperties() }?.getProperty(key)
+    val local = localPropertiesCache.getOrPut(dir) { dir.localProperties() ?: Properties() }?.getProperty(key)
     if (!local.isNullOrEmpty()) return local
 
     // We failed. Return null.