diff --git a/IM/connectors/Kubernetes.py b/IM/connectors/Kubernetes.py
index 95c88cf4..a007c334 100644
--- a/IM/connectors/Kubernetes.py
+++ b/IM/connectors/Kubernetes.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import json
 import requests
 import time
+import re
 from netaddr import IPNetwork, IPAddress
 try:
     from urlparse import urlparse
@@ -282,9 +283,13 @@ def _generate_service_data(self, namespace, name, outports):
     @staticmethod
     def _get_env_variables(radl_system):
         env_vars = []
-        for elem in radl_system.getValue("environment.variables", []):
-            parts = elem.split(":")
-            env_vars.append({'name': parts[0], 'value': ":".join(parts[1:])})
+        if radl_system.getValue('environment.variables'):
+            keypairs = radl_system.getValue('environment.variables').split(",")
+            for keypair in keypairs:
+                parts = keypair.split("=")
+                key = parts[0].strip()
+                value = parts[1].strip()
+                env_vars.append({'name': key, 'value': value})
         return env_vars
 
     def _generate_pod_data(self, namespace, name, outports, system, volumes, tags):
@@ -312,7 +317,8 @@ def _generate_pod_data(self, namespace, name, outports, system, volumes, tags):
         # Add instance tags
         if tags:
             for k, v in tags.items():
-                pod_data['metadata']['labels'][k] = v
+                # Remove special characters
+                pod_data['metadata']['labels'][k] = re.sub('[!"#$%&\'()*+,/:;<=>?@[\\]^`{|}~]', '', v).lstrip("_-")
 
         containers = [{
             'name': name,
diff --git a/IM/tosca/Tosca.py b/IM/tosca/Tosca.py
index 11d24d12..0c55889a 100644
--- a/IM/tosca/Tosca.py
+++ b/IM/tosca/Tosca.py
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ def _get_artifact_full_uri(self, node, artifact_name):
                 repo = artifact_def['repository']
                 repo_url = self._get_repository_url(repo)
                 if repo_url:
-                    res = repo_url + "/" + artifact_def['file']
+                    res = repo_url + "/" + self._final_function_result(artifact_def['file'], node)
         else:
             res = artifact_def
 
@@ -2156,7 +2156,7 @@ def _gen_k8s_system(self, node, nodetemplates):
             raise Exception("Only one artifact is supported for K8s container.")
 
         artifact = list(artifacts.values())[0]
-        image = artifact.get("file", None)
+        image = self._final_function_result(artifact.get("file", None), node)
         if not image:
             raise Exception("No image specified for K8s container.")
         if "tosca.artifacts.Deployment.Image.Container.Docker" != artifact.get("type", None):
@@ -2175,10 +2175,12 @@ def _gen_k8s_system(self, node, nodetemplates):
             value = self._final_function_result(prop.value, node)
             if value not in [None, [], {}]:
                 if prop.name == "environment":
-                    env = []
+                    variables = ""
                     for k, v in value.items():
-                        env.append("%s:%s" % (k, v))
-                    res.setValue('environment.variables', env)
+                        if variables != "":
+                            variables += ","
+                        variables += "%s=%s" % (k, v)
+                    res.setValue("environment.variables", variables)
 
         runtime = self._find_host_node(node, nodetemplates, base_root_type="tosca.nodes.SoftwareComponent")
 
diff --git a/test/files/tosca_k8s.yml b/test/files/tosca_k8s.yml
index b7d191f0..48f57227 100644
--- a/test/files/tosca_k8s.yml
+++ b/test/files/tosca_k8s.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ repositories:
 
 topology_template:
 
+  inputs:
+
+    image:
+      type: string
+      description: The image to be used in the container
+      default: "mysql:5.7"
+
   node_templates:
 
     # The MYSQL container based on official MySQL image in Docker hub
@@ -23,7 +30,7 @@ topology_template:
         - host: mysql_runtime
       artifacts:
         my_image:
-          file: "mysql:5.7"
+          file: { get_input: image }
           type: tosca.artifacts.Deployment.Image.Container.Docker
           repository: docker_hub
 
diff --git a/test/unit/Tosca.py b/test/unit/Tosca.py
index 7a8df35b..3160362f 100755
--- a/test/unit/Tosca.py
+++ b/test/unit/Tosca.py
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ def test_tosca_k8s(self):
         self.assertEqual(node.getValue("memory.size"), 2000000000)
         self.assertEqual(node.getValue("disk.1.size"), 10000000000)
         self.assertEqual(node.getValue("disk.1.mount_path"), '/some/path')
-        self.assertEqual(node.getValue("environment.variables"), ['MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD:my-secret'])
+        self.assertEqual(node.getValue("environment.variables"), 'MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret')
         net = radl.get_network_by_id('mysql_container_pub')
         self.assertEqual(net.getValue("outports"), '33306/tcp-3306/tcp')
         self.assertEqual(net.getValue("outbound"), 'yes')
diff --git a/test/unit/connectors/Kubernetes.py b/test/unit/connectors/Kubernetes.py
index 9799c2f7..a6d402a9 100755
--- a/test/unit/connectors/Kubernetes.py
+++ b/test/unit/connectors/Kubernetes.py
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ def test_20_launch(self, save_data, requests):
             memory.size>=512m and
             net_interface.0.connection = 'net' and
             net_interface.0.dns_name = 'test' and
-            environment.variables = ['var:some_val'] and
+            environment.variables = 'var=some_val' and
+            instance_tags = 'key=_inva:lid_' and
             disk.0.os.name = 'linux' and
             disk.0.image.url = 'docker://someimage' and
             disk.1.size = 10G and
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ def test_20_launch(self, save_data, requests):
             "metadata": {
                 "name": "test",
                 "namespace": "infid",
-                "labels": {"name": "test", "IM_INFRA_ID": "infid"},
+                "labels": {"name": "test", "IM_INFRA_ID": "infid", "key": "invalid_"},
             },
             "spec": {
                 "containers": [