diff --git a/k8s/settings_local.py b/k8s/settings_local.py
index 91bfe69e3..3c77551a9 100644
--- a/k8s/settings_local.py
+++ b/k8s/settings_local.py
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ from ietf import __release_hash__
 from ietf.settings import *                                          # pyflakes:ignore
 
 
-def _remove_whitespace_and_b64decode(s):
-    """Helper to strip out whitespace and base64 decode"""
-    return b64decode("".join(s.split()))
-
-
 def _multiline_to_list(s):
     """Helper to split at newlines and conver to list"""
     return [item.strip() for item in s.split("\n")]
@@ -31,7 +26,7 @@ else:
 
 _NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64 = os.environ.get("DATATRACKER_NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64", None)
 if _NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64 is not None:
-    NOMCOM_APP_SECRET = _remove_whitespace_and_b64decode(_NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64)
+    NOMCOM_APP_SECRET = b64decode(_NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64)
 else:
     raise RuntimeError("DATATRACKER_NOMCOM_APP_SECRET_B64 must be set")
 
@@ -67,13 +62,13 @@ else:
 
 _API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64 = os.environ.get("DATATRACKER_API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64", None)
 if _API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64 is not None:
-    API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM = _remove_whitespace_and_b64decode(_API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64)
+    API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM = b64decode(_API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64)
 else:
     raise RuntimeError("DATATRACKER_API_PUBLIC_KEY_PEM_B64 must be set")    
 
 _API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64 = os.environ.get("DATATRACKER_API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64", None)
 if _API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64 is not None:
-    API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM = _remove_whitespace_and_b64decode(_API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64)
+    API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM = b64decode(_API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64)
 else:
     raise RuntimeError("DATATRACKER_API_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64 must be set")