diff --git a/application/templates/deployment.yaml b/application/templates/deployment.yaml
index e6347308..0fd49384 100644
--- a/application/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/application/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ metadata:
   name: {{ template "application.name" . }}
   namespace: {{ include "application.namespace" . }}
 spec:
-{{- if .Values.deployment.replicas }}
+{{- if not (quote .Values.deployment.replicas | empty) }}
   replicas: {{ .Values.deployment.replicas }}
 {{- end }}
   selector:
diff --git a/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml b/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
index 30baea1f..28f895d9 100644
--- a/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
+++ b/application/tests/deployment_test.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ tests:
           path: metadata.labels["app.kubernetes.io/version"]
           value: example-tag
 
+  - it: allows setting replicas zero
+    set:
+      deployment.replicas: 0
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.replicas
+          value: 0
+
   - it: uses image digest when given
     set:
       deployment.image.repository: example-image