diff --git a/charts/pixelfed/README.md b/charts/pixelfed/README.md
index 440fc6c..8f37cdf 100644
--- a/charts/pixelfed/README.md
+++ b/charts/pixelfed/README.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ A Helm chart for deploying Pixelfed on Kubernetes
 | autoscaling.targetCPUUtilizationPercentage | int | `80` |  |
 | externalDatabase.connection | string | `"psql"` | options: sqlite mysql pgsql sqlsrv |
 | externalDatabase.database | string | `"pixelfed"` |  |
+| externalDatabase.enabled | bool | `false` | enable using an external mysql or postgresql cluster |
 | externalDatabase.existingSecret | string | `""` | get database credentials from an existing Kubernetes Secret |
 | externalDatabase.existingSecretKeys.database | string | `"pixelfed"` | key in existing Kubernetes Secret for database. If set, ignores externalDatabase.database |
 | externalDatabase.existingSecretKeys.host | string | `""` | key in existing Kubernetes Secret for host. If set, ignores externalDatabase.host |
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ A Helm chart for deploying Pixelfed on Kubernetes
 | externalDatabase.port | int | `3306` |  |
 | externalDatabase.username | string | `""` |  |
 | externalValkey.client | string | `"phpredis"` |  |
+| externalValkey.enabled | bool | `false` | enable using an external valkey or redis cluster |
 | externalValkey.existingSecret | string | `""` | get valkey credentials from an existing Kubernetes Secret |
 | externalValkey.existingSecretKeys.host | string | `""` | key in existing Kubernetes Secret for host. If set, ignores externalValkey.host |
 | externalValkey.existingSecretKeys.password | string | `""` | key in existing Kubernetes Secret for password. If set, ignores externalValkey.password |
@@ -188,4 +190,4 @@ A Helm chart for deploying Pixelfed on Kubernetes
 | volumes | list | `[]` | Additional volumes on the output Deployment definition. |
 
 ----------------------------------------------
-Autogenerated from chart metadata using [helm-docs v1.11.0](https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs/releases/v1.11.0)
+Autogenerated from chart metadata using [helm-docs v1.14.2](https://github.com/norwoodj/helm-docs/releases/v1.14.2)
diff --git a/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_database.yaml b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_database.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4767c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_database.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{{- if and .Values.externalDatabase.enabled ( not .Values.externalDatabase.existingSecret ) }}
+---
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: pixelfed-database
+data:
+  host: {{ .Values.externalDatabase.host }}
+  port: {{ .Values.externalDatabase.port }}
+  database: {{ .Values.externalDatabase.database }}
+  username: {{ .Values.externalDatabase.username }}
+  password: {{ .Values.externalDatabase.password }}
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_mail.yaml b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_mail.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bd73cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_mail.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{{- if not .Values.externalDatabase.existingSecret }}
+---
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: pixelfed-mail
+data:
+  host: {{ .Values.pixelfed.mail.host }}
+  port: {{ .Values.pixelfed.mail.port }}
+  username: {{ .Values.pixelfed.mail.username }}
+  password: {{ .Values.pixelfed.mail.password }}
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_valkey.yaml b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_valkey.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42daf3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/pixelfed/templates/secret_valkey.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{{- if and .Values.externalValkey.enabled ( not .Values.externalValkey.existingSecret ) }}
+---
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: pixelfed-database
+data:
+  host: {{ .Values.externalValkey.host }}
+  port: {{ .Values.externalValkey.port }}
+  password: {{ .Values.externalValkey.password }}
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/charts/pixelfed/values.yaml b/charts/pixelfed/values.yaml
index 1f5f99e..677c869 100644
--- a/charts/pixelfed/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/pixelfed/values.yaml
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ tolerations: []
 affinity: {}
 
 externalDatabase:
+  # -- enable using an external mysql or postgresql cluster
+  enabled: false
   # -- options: sqlite mysql pgsql sqlsrv
   connection: psql
   host: ""
@@ -154,6 +156,8 @@ externalDatabase:
 
 # External Redis Configuration. Use this if you set valkey.enabled: false
 externalValkey:
+  # -- enable using an external valkey or redis cluster
+  enabled: false
   client: "phpredis"
   scheme: "tcp"
   host: "valkey"