diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 72ac3d6..0fa6fb1 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache \
 
 RUN wget https://github.com/mikefarah/yq/releases/download/v4.23.1/yq_linux_amd64 -O /usr/bin/yq && chmod +x /usr/bin/yq
 
-RUN yq 'del(.vm.endpoint) | .chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBE_NAMESPACE", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' ${FABRIC_CFG_PATH}/core.yaml > core.yaml
+RUN yq 'del(.vm.endpoint) | .chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' ${FABRIC_CFG_PATH}/core.yaml > core.yaml
 
 FROM hyperledger/fabric-peer:${HLF_VERSION}
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4c437a7..5e01653 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Status: it should just about work now but there are a few issues to iron out (an
 
 The k8s builder can be run in cluster using the `KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST` and `KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT` environment variables, or it can connect using a `KUBECONFIG_PATH` environment variable.
 
-An optional `KUBE_NAMESPACE` can be used to specify the namespace to deploy chaincode to.
+An optional `FABRIC_CHAINCODE_NAMESPACE` can be used to specify the namespace to deploy chaincode to.
 
 A `CORE_PEER_ID` environment variable is also currently required.
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ External builders are configured in the `core.yaml` file, for example:
       path: /home/peer/ccbuilders/k8s_builder
       propagateEnvironment:
         - CORE_PEER_ID
-        - KUBE_NAMESPACE
+        - FABRIC_CHAINCODE_NAMESPACE
         - KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST
         - KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT
 ```
diff --git a/cmd/run/main.go b/cmd/run/main.go
index 736b6ad..f155085 100644
--- a/cmd/run/main.go
+++ b/cmd/run/main.go
@@ -17,15 +17,15 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	peerID, err := util.GetRequiredEnv("CORE_PEER_ID")
+	peerID, err := util.GetRequiredEnv(util.PeerIdVariable)
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Expected CORE_PEER_ID environment variable")
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Expected %s environment variable\n", util.PeerIdVariable)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	kubeconfigPath := util.GetOptionalEnv("KUBECONFIG_PATH", "")
+	kubeconfigPath := util.GetOptionalEnv(util.KubeconfigPathVariable, "")
 
-	kubeNamespace := util.GetOptionalEnv("KUBE_NAMESPACE", "")
+	kubeNamespace := util.GetOptionalEnv(util.ChaincodeNamespaceVariable, "")
 	if kubeNamespace == "" {
 		kubeNamespace, err = util.GetKubeNamespace()
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/TEST_NETWORK_K8S.md b/docs/TEST_NETWORK_K8S.md
index 18991ba..b508dc4 100644
--- a/docs/TEST_NETWORK_K8S.md
+++ b/docs/TEST_NETWORK_K8S.md
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ The org1 and org2 `core.yaml` files also need to be updated with the k8s builder
       path: /opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder
       propagateEnvironment:
         - CORE_PEER_ID
-        - KUBE_NAMESPACE
         - KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST
         - KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT
 ```
@@ -28,8 +27,8 @@ You can use [yq](https://mikefarah.gitbook.io/yq/) to update the `core.yaml` fil
 Make sure you are in the `fabric-samples/test-network-k8s` directory before running the following commands.
 
 ```shell
-yq -i '.chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBE_NAMESPACE", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' config/org1/core.yaml
-yq -i '.chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBE_NAMESPACE", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' config/org2/core.yaml
+yq -i '.chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' config/org1/core.yaml
+yq -i '.chaincode.externalBuilders += { "name": "k8s_builder", "path": "/opt/hyperledger/k8s_builder", "propagateEnvironment": [ "CORE_PEER_ID", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "KUBERNETES_SERVICE_PORT" ] }' config/org2/core.yaml
 ```
 
 ## Kubernetes permissions
diff --git a/internal/util/env.go b/internal/util/env.go
index 10772e7..166781d 100644
--- a/internal/util/env.go
+++ b/internal/util/env.go
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ import (
 	"os"
 )
 
+const (
+	ChaincodeNamespaceVariable = "FABRIC_CHAINCODE_NAMESPACE"
+	KubeconfigPathVariable     = "KUBECONFIG_PATH"
+	PeerIdVariable             = "CORE_PEER_ID"
+)
+
 func GetOptionalEnv(key, defaultValue string) string {
 	if value, ok := os.LookupEnv(key); ok {
 		return value