diff --git a/cmd/apply.go b/cmd/apply.go
index b4b598ab..6b5a23f4 100644
--- a/cmd/apply.go
+++ b/cmd/apply.go
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ func NewApplyCmd(globalCfg *config.GlobalImpl) *cobra.Command {
 	f.BoolVar(&applyOptions.StripTrailingCR, "strip-trailing-cr", false, "strip trailing carriage return on input")
 	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.DiffArgs, "diff-args", "", `pass args to helm helm-diff`)
 	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.SyncArgs, "sync-args", "", `pass args to helm upgrade`)
-	f.StringVar(&applyOptions.TemplateArgs, "template-args", "", `pass args to helm template`)
 	f.StringVar(&globalCfg.GlobalOptions.Args, "args", "", "pass args to helm exec")
 	f.BoolVar(&applyOptions.SkipCleanup, "skip-cleanup", false, "Stop cleaning up temporary values generated by helmfile and helm-secrets. Useful for debugging. Don't use in production for security")
 	f.BoolVar(&applyOptions.SkipCRDs, "skip-crds", false, "if set, no CRDs will be installed on sync. By default, CRDs are installed if not already present")
diff --git a/cmd/template.go b/cmd/template.go
index 5bb146a0..a2eeffee 100644
--- a/cmd/template.go
+++ b/cmd/template.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func NewTemplateCmd(globalCfg *config.GlobalImpl) *cobra.Command {
 	f.BoolVar(&templateOptions.SkipSchemaValidation, "skip-schema-validation", false, `pass skip-schema-validation to "helm template" or "helm upgrade --install"`)
 	f.StringVar(&templateOptions.KubeVersion, "kube-version", "", `pass --kube-version to "helm template". Overrides kubeVersion in helmfile.yaml`)
 	f.StringArrayVar(&templateOptions.ShowOnly, "show-only", nil, `pass --show-only to "helm template"`)
-	f.StringVar(&templateOptions.TemplateArgs, "template-args", "", `pass args to helm template`)
+	f.StringVar(&templateOptions.TemplateArgs, "template-args", "", `pass extra args to "helm template" (e.g., --dry-run=server)`)
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index 7da166de..b7b99a1a 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -371,6 +371,8 @@ func (a *App) Sync(c SyncConfigProvider) error {
 			IncludeTransitiveNeeds: c.IncludeNeeds(),
 			Validate:               c.Validate(),
 			Concurrency:            c.Concurrency(),
+			// Ensure lookup during chartify pre-render connects to cluster
+			TemplateArgs: "--dry-run=server",
 		}, func() {
 			ok, errs = a.sync(run, c)
 		})
@@ -407,7 +409,8 @@ func (a *App) Apply(c ApplyConfigProvider) error {
 			Validate:               c.Validate(),
 			Concurrency:            c.Concurrency(),
 			IncludeTransitiveNeeds: c.IncludeNeeds(),
-			TemplateArgs:           c.TemplateArgs(),
+			// Ensure lookup during chartify pre-render connects to cluster
+			TemplateArgs: "--dry-run=server",
 		}, func() {
 			matched, updated, es := a.apply(run, c)
 
@@ -1954,6 +1957,7 @@ func (a *App) template(r *Run, c TemplateConfigProvider) (bool, []error) {
 			KubeVersion:          c.KubeVersion(),
 			ShowOnly:             c.ShowOnly(),
 			SkipSchemaValidation: c.SkipSchemaValidation(),
+			TemplateArgs:         c.TemplateArgs(),
 		}
 		return st.TemplateReleases(helm, c.OutputDir(), c.Values(), args, c.Concurrency(), c.Validate(), opts)
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/app/app_test.go b/pkg/app/app_test.go
index 25d11b6b..17473257 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app_test.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app_test.go
@@ -2109,7 +2109,6 @@ type configImpl struct {
 	includeTransitiveNeeds bool
 	skipCharts             bool
 	kubeVersion            string
-	templateArgs           string
 }
 
 func (c configImpl) Selectors() []string {
@@ -2208,10 +2207,6 @@ func (c configImpl) KubeVersion() string {
 	return c.kubeVersion
 }
 
-func (c configImpl) TemplateArgs() string {
-	return c.templateArgs
-}
-
 func (c configImpl) SkipSchemaValidation() bool {
 	return c.skipSchemaValidation
 }
@@ -2220,6 +2215,11 @@ func (c configImpl) ShowOnly() []string {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// TemplateArgs satisfies TemplateConfigProvider for template-specific extra flags
+func (c configImpl) TemplateArgs() string {
+	return ""
+}
+
 type applyConfig struct {
 	args    string
 	cascade string
@@ -2251,7 +2251,6 @@ type applyConfig struct {
 	skipDiffOnInstall       bool
 	syncArgs                string
 	diffArgs                string
-	templateArgs            string
 	logger                  *zap.SugaredLogger
 	wait                    bool
 	waitRetries             int
@@ -2404,10 +2403,6 @@ func (a applyConfig) DiffArgs() string {
 	return a.diffArgs
 }
 
-func (a applyConfig) TemplateArgs() string {
-	return a.templateArgs
-}
-
 // helmfile-template-only flags
 func (a applyConfig) IncludeCRDs() bool {
 	return a.includeCRDs
@@ -2456,6 +2451,11 @@ func (a applyConfig) ShowOnly() []string {
 	return a.showOnly
 }
 
+// TemplateArgs satisfies TemplateConfigProvider for template-specific extra flags
+func (a applyConfig) TemplateArgs() string {
+	return ""
+}
+
 func (a applyConfig) HideNotes() bool {
 	return a.hideNotes
 }
diff --git a/pkg/app/run.go b/pkg/app/run.go
index 811cbb6a..2beab11a 100644
--- a/pkg/app/run.go
+++ b/pkg/app/run.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
-	"github.com/helmfile/chartify"
 
 	"github.com/helmfile/helmfile/pkg/helmexec"
 	"github.com/helmfile/helmfile/pkg/state"
@@ -43,14 +42,6 @@ func (r *Run) askForConfirmation(msg string) bool {
 	return AskForConfirmation(msg)
 }
 
-type Chartifier struct {
-	runner *chartify.Runner
-}
-
-func (c *Chartifier) Chartify(release, dirOrChart string, opts ...chartify.ChartifyOption) (string, error) {
-	return c.runner.Chartify(release, dirOrChart, opts...)
-}
-
 func (r *Run) prepareChartsIfNeeded(helmfileCommand string, dir string, concurrency int, opts state.ChartPrepareOptions) (map[state.PrepareChartKey]string, error) {
 	// Skip chart preparation for certain commands
 	skipCommands := []string{"write-values", "list"}
@@ -58,15 +49,7 @@ func (r *Run) prepareChartsIfNeeded(helmfileCommand string, dir string, concurre
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	chartifier := &Chartifier{
-		runner: chartify.New(
-			chartify.HelmBin(r.state.DefaultHelmBinary),
-			chartify.KustomizeBin(r.state.DefaultKustomizeBinary),
-			chartify.UseHelm3(true),
-			chartify.WithLogf(r.state.Logger().Debugf)),
-	}
-
-	releaseToChart, errs := r.state.PrepareCharts(r.helm, chartifier, dir, concurrency, helmfileCommand, opts)
+	releaseToChart, errs := r.state.PrepareCharts(r.helm, dir, concurrency, helmfileCommand, opts)
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v", errs)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/config/apply.go b/pkg/config/apply.go
index 006956a3..3f22d59b 100644
--- a/pkg/config/apply.go
+++ b/pkg/config/apply.go
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ type ApplyOptions struct {
 	TakeOwnership bool
 
 	SyncReleaseLabels bool
-
-	// TemplateArgs is the list of arguments to pass to helm template
-	TemplateArgs string
 }
 
 // NewApply creates a new Apply
@@ -256,6 +253,11 @@ func (a *ApplyImpl) SuppressOutputLineRegex() []string {
 	return a.ApplyOptions.SuppressOutputLineRegex
 }
 
+// TemplateArgs returns extra args for helm template; not applicable to apply, return empty.
+func (a *ApplyImpl) TemplateArgs() string {
+	return ""
+}
+
 // SyncArgs returns the SyncArgs.
 func (a *ApplyImpl) SyncArgs() string {
 	return a.ApplyOptions.SyncArgs
@@ -275,8 +277,3 @@ func (a *ApplyImpl) TakeOwnership() bool {
 func (a *ApplyImpl) SyncReleaseLabels() bool {
 	return a.ApplyOptions.SyncReleaseLabels
 }
-
-// TemplateArgs returns the TemplateArgs.
-func (a *ApplyImpl) TemplateArgs() string {
-	return a.ApplyOptions.TemplateArgs
-}
diff --git a/pkg/config/template.go b/pkg/config/template.go
index b12736a1..0d3f0faa 100644
--- a/pkg/config/template.go
+++ b/pkg/config/template.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ type TemplateOptions struct {
 	KubeVersion string
 	// Propagate '--show-only` to helm template
 	ShowOnly []string
-	// TemplateArgs
+	// TemplateArgs are extra args appended to helm template (e.g., --dry-run=server)
 	TemplateArgs string
 }
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (t *TemplateImpl) ShowOnly() []string {
 	return t.TemplateOptions.ShowOnly
 }
 
-// TemplateArgs returns the TemplateArgs
+// TemplateArgs returns the extra args for helm template.
 func (t *TemplateImpl) TemplateArgs() string {
 	return t.TemplateOptions.TemplateArgs
 }
diff --git a/pkg/state/state.go b/pkg/state/state.go
index d6e27703..20f19310 100644
--- a/pkg/state/state.go
+++ b/pkg/state/state.go
@@ -1209,16 +1209,6 @@ type PrepareChartKey struct {
 	Namespace, Name, KubeContext string
 }
 
-func (st *HelmState) Logger() *zap.SugaredLogger {
-	return st.logger
-}
-
-type Chartifier interface {
-	// Chartify creates a temporary Helm chart from a directory or a remote chart, and applies various transformations.
-	// Returns the full path to the temporary directory containing the generated chart if succeeded.
-	Chartify(release, dirOrChart string, opts ...chartify.ChartifyOption) (string, error)
-}
-
 // PrepareCharts creates temporary directories of charts.
 //
 // Each resulting "chart" can be one of the followings:
@@ -1233,7 +1223,9 @@ type Chartifier interface {
 // Otherwise, if a chart is not a helm chart, it will call "chartify" to turn it into a chart.
 //
 // If exists, it will also patch resources by json patches, strategic-merge patches, and injectors.
-func (st *HelmState) PrepareCharts(helm helmexec.Interface, chartifier Chartifier, dir string, concurrency int, helmfileCommand string, opts ChartPrepareOptions) (map[PrepareChartKey]string, []error) {
+//
+//nolint:gocognit // High complexity due to orchestration; refactoring is out of scope here.
+func (st *HelmState) PrepareCharts(helm helmexec.Interface, dir string, concurrency int, helmfileCommand string, opts ChartPrepareOptions) (map[PrepareChartKey]string, []error) {
 	if !opts.SkipResolve {
 		updated, err := st.ResolveDeps()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -1327,6 +1319,13 @@ func (st *HelmState) PrepareCharts(helm helmexec.Interface, chartifier Chartifie
 				skipDeps := (!isLocal && !chartFetchedByGoGetter) || skipDepsGlobal || skipDepsRelease || skipDepsDefault
 
 				if chartification != nil && helmfileCommand != "pull" {
+					c := chartify.New(
+						chartify.HelmBin(st.DefaultHelmBinary),
+						chartify.KustomizeBin(st.DefaultKustomizeBinary),
+						chartify.UseHelm3(true),
+						chartify.WithLogf(st.logger.Debugf),
+					)
+
 					chartifyOpts := chartification.Opts
 
 					if skipDeps {
@@ -1341,8 +1340,23 @@ func (st *HelmState) PrepareCharts(helm helmexec.Interface, chartifier Chartifie
 
 					chartifyOpts.Validate = opts.Validate
 
-					if (helmfileCommand == "template" || helmfileCommand == "apply") && opts.TemplateArgs != "" {
-						chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs = opts.TemplateArgs
+					// Ensure chartify's internal helm template uses the correct kube context for lookup to work
+					if kc := st.kubeConnectionFlags(release); len(kc) > 0 {
+						if chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs != "" {
+							chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs = strings.TrimSpace(chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs + " " + strings.Join(kc, " "))
+						} else {
+							chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs = strings.Join(kc, " ")
+						}
+					}
+					// If the current command provided extra template args (e.g., --dry-run=server for `helmfile template`),
+					// pass them through to the chartify helm template as well to make lookup behavior consistent.
+					if opts.TemplateArgs != "" {
+						extra := strings.Join(argparser.CollectArgs(opts.TemplateArgs), " ")
+						if chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs != "" {
+							chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs = strings.TrimSpace(chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs + " " + extra)
+						} else {
+							chartifyOpts.TemplateArgs = extra
+						}
 					}
 
 					chartifyOpts.KubeVersion = st.getKubeVersion(release, opts.KubeVersion)
@@ -1360,7 +1374,7 @@ func (st *HelmState) PrepareCharts(helm helmexec.Interface, chartifier Chartifie
 					}
 					chartifyOpts.SetFlags = append(chartifyOpts.SetFlags, flags...)
 
-					out, err := chartifier.Chartify(release.Name, chartPath, chartify.WithChartifyOpts(chartifyOpts))
+					out, err := c.Chartify(release.Name, chartPath, chartify.WithChartifyOpts(chartifyOpts))
 					if err != nil {
 						results <- &chartPrepareResult{err: err}
 						return
@@ -1551,7 +1565,8 @@ type TemplateOpts struct {
 	ShowOnly          []string
 	// Propagate '--skip-schema-validation' to helmv3 template and helm install
 	SkipSchemaValidation bool
-	TemplateArgs         string
+	// TemplateArgs are extra args appended to "helm template" (e.g., "--dry-run=server")
+	TemplateArgs string
 }
 
 type TemplateOpt interface{ Apply(*TemplateOpts) }
@@ -2932,6 +2947,9 @@ func (st *HelmState) flagsForTemplate(helm helmexec.Interface, release *ReleaseS
 	flags = st.appendChartDownloadFlags(flags, release)
 	flags = st.appendShowOnlyFlags(flags, showOnly)
 	flags = st.appendSkipSchemaValidationFlags(flags, release, skipSchemaValidation)
+	if opt != nil && opt.TemplateArgs != "" {
+		flags = append(flags, argparser.CollectArgs(opt.TemplateArgs)...)
+	}
 
 	common, files, err := st.namespaceAndValuesFlags(helm, release, workerIndex)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/state/state_test.go b/pkg/state/state_test.go
index 70be5035..57774b23 100644
--- a/pkg/state/state_test.go
+++ b/pkg/state/state_test.go
@@ -4,13 +4,11 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3"
-	"github.com/helmfile/chartify"
 	"github.com/helmfile/vals"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -2976,107 +2974,6 @@ func TestDiffpareSyncReleases(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// capturingChartifier implements state.Chartifier for tests.
-type capturingChartifier struct {
-	mChartify    func(release string, dirOrChart string, opts ...chartify.ChartifyOption) (string, error)
-	capturedArgs []chartifyArgs
-}
-
-type chartifyArgs struct {
-	release    string
-	dirOrChart string
-	opts       []chartify.ChartifyOption
-}
-
-func (c *capturingChartifier) Chartify(release string, dirOrChart string, opts ...chartify.ChartifyOption) (string, error) {
-	c.capturedArgs = append(c.capturedArgs, chartifyArgs{release: release, dirOrChart: dirOrChart, opts: opts})
-	return c.mChartify(release, dirOrChart, opts...)
-}
-
-func TestPrepareCharts_invokesChartifierWithTemplateArgs(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name         string
-		chartifier   *capturingChartifier
-		dir          string
-		concurrency  int
-		command      string
-		opts         ChartPrepareOptions
-		expectedArgs []chartifyArgs
-		helmDefaults *HelmSpec
-	}{
-		{
-			name: "template command",
-			chartifier: &capturingChartifier{
-				mChartify: func(release string, dirOrChart string, opts ...chartify.ChartifyOption) (string, error) {
-					return "someTempDir", nil
-				},
-			},
-			dir:         "someChartPath",
-			concurrency: 1,
-			command:     "template",
-			opts: ChartPrepareOptions{
-				SkipDeps:     true,
-				TemplateArgs: "someArgs",
-			},
-			helmDefaults: &HelmSpec{},
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-prepare-charts-*")
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("setup temp test dir: %v", err)
-			}
-			defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
-
-			err = os.Mkdir(path.Join(tmpDir, tt.dir), 0755)
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("setup chart dir: %v", err)
-			}
-
-			release := ReleaseSpec{
-				Name: tt.name,
-			}
-			releases := []ReleaseSpec{
-				release,
-			}
-
-			state := &HelmState{
-				basePath: tmpDir,
-				ReleaseSetSpec: ReleaseSetSpec{
-					Releases:     releases,
-					HelmDefaults: *tt.helmDefaults,
-				},
-				logger:         logger,
-				valsRuntime:    valsRuntime,
-				fs:             filesystem.DefaultFileSystem(),
-				RenderedValues: map[string]any{},
-			}
-			helm := &exectest.Helm{
-				Lists: map[exectest.ListKey]string{},
-				Helm3: true,
-			}
-
-			_, errs := state.PrepareCharts(helm, tt.chartifier, path.Join(tmpDir, tt.dir), tt.concurrency, tt.command, tt.opts)
-
-			require.Len(t, errs, 0)
-			require.Len(t, tt.chartifier.capturedArgs, 1)
-
-			appliedChartifyOpts := &chartify.ChartifyOpts{}
-
-			for _, o := range tt.chartifier.capturedArgs[0].opts {
-				err = o.SetChartifyOption(appliedChartifyOpts)
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("set captured chartify options: %v", err)
-				}
-			}
-
-			require.Equal(t, tt.opts.TemplateArgs, appliedChartifyOpts.TemplateArgs)
-		})
-	}
-}
-
 func TestPrepareSyncReleases(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name         string
diff --git a/test/integration/lib/output.sh b/test/integration/lib/output.sh
index 05db3d5b..762298cf 100644
--- a/test/integration/lib/output.sh
+++ b/test/integration/lib/output.sh
@@ -3,22 +3,22 @@
 declare -i tests_total=0
 
 function info () {
-    tput bold; tput setaf 4; echo -n "INFO: "; tput sgr0; echo "${@}"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 4 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "INFO: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${@}"
 }
 function warn () {
-    tput bold; tput setaf 3; echo -n "WARN: "; tput sgr0; echo "${@}"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 3 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "WARN: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${@}"
 }
 function fail () {
-    tput bold; tput setaf 1; echo -n "FAIL: "; tput sgr0; echo "${@}"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "FAIL: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${@}"
     exit 1
 }
 function test_start () {
-    tput bold; tput setaf 6; echo -n "TEST: "; tput sgr0; echo "${@}"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 6 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "TEST: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${@}"
 }
 function test_pass () {
     tests_total=$((tests_total+1))
-    tput bold; tput setaf 2; echo -n "PASS: "; tput sgr0; echo "${@}"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 2 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "PASS: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${@}"
 }
 function all_tests_passed () {
-    tput bold; tput setaf 2; echo -n "PASS: "; tput sgr0; echo "${tests_total} tests passed"
+    tput bold >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; tput setaf 2 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo -n "PASS: "; tput sgr0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true; echo "${tests_total} tests passed"
 }
diff --git a/test/integration/run.sh b/test/integration/run.sh
index d0abedfb..e606c8ec 100755
--- a/test/integration/run.sh
+++ b/test/integration/run.sh
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ ${kubectl} create namespace ${test_ns} || fail "Could not create namespace ${tes
 . ${dir}/test-cases/issue-1749.sh
 . ${dir}/test-cases/issue-1893.sh
 . ${dir}/test-cases/state-values-set-cli-args-in-environments.sh
+. ${dir}/test-cases/lookup.sh
 
 # ALL DONE -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/test/integration/test-cases/lookup.sh b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0ed2b3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Verify Helm `lookup` works under helmfile for both chartify and non-chartify scenarios.
+#
+# Assumptions (prepared by test/integration/run.sh):
+# - A minikube cluster is running, context=minikube
+# - Namespace ${test_ns} is created
+# - Variables ${helmfile}, ${kubectl}, and ${cases_dir} are defined
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+reset_live_secret() {
+  info "Resetting live secret to key=init"
+  ${kubectl} delete secret my-secret -n ${test_ns}  >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  init_hf="${cases_dir}/lookup/input-init/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl"
+  ${helmfile} -f "${init_hf}" sync -q
+}
+
+assert_template_outputs() {
+  reset_live_secret
+  local hf_file="$1"
+  info "Templating ${hf_file} with --template-args=\"--dry-run=server\""
+  out=$(mktemp)
+  ${helmfile} -f "${hf_file}" template --template-args="--dry-run=server" >"${out}"
+  grep -q "key: init" "${out}" || fail "template output did not contain 'key: init'"
+  rm -f "${out}"
+}
+
+assert_cluster_key_is_init() {
+  v=$(${kubectl} get secret my-secret -o jsonpath='{.data.key}' | base64 -d)
+  [ "${v}" = "init" ] || fail "expected live secret key to be 'init', got '${v}'"
+}
+
+assert_apply() {
+  local hf_file="$1"
+  reset_live_secret
+  info "Applying ${hf_file}"
+  ${helmfile} -f "${hf_file}" apply -q || fail "apply failed"
+  assert_cluster_key_is_init
+}
+
+assert_sync() {
+  local hf_file="$1"
+  reset_live_secret
+  info "Syncing ${hf_file}"
+  ${helmfile} -f "${hf_file}" sync -q || fail "sync failed"
+  assert_cluster_key_is_init
+}
+
+# Non-chartify scenario
+plain_hf="${cases_dir}/lookup/input-plain/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl"
+assert_template_outputs "${plain_hf}"
+assert_apply "${plain_hf}"
+assert_sync "${plain_hf}"
+test_pass "lookup without chartify"
+
+# Chartify scenario (e.g. forceNamespace triggers chartify)
+chartify_hf="${cases_dir}/lookup/input-chartify/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl"
+assert_template_outputs "${chartify_hf}"
+assert_apply "${chartify_hf}"
+assert_sync "${chartify_hf}"
+test_pass "lookup with chartify"
+
diff --git a/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-chartify/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-chartify/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b7506e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-chartify/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+releases:
+  - name: lookup-test
+    chart: ../../../charts/raw
+    namespace: {{ .Namespace }}
+    # forceNamespace triggers chartify
+    forceNamespace: {{ .Namespace }}
+    values:
+      - templates:
+          - |
+            apiVersion: v1
+            kind: Secret
+            metadata:
+              name: lookup-result
+            type: Opaque
+            stringData:
+              # When lookup can reach the cluster, this resolves to the current live value (init)
+              key: {{`{{ index (index (lookup "v1" "Secret" .Release.Namespace "my-secret") "data") "key" | b64dec | default "overwritten" }}`}}
diff --git a/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-init/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-init/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..abfbc656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-init/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+releases:
+  - name: setup-init
+    chart: ../../../charts/raw
+    namespace: {{ .Namespace }}
+    values:
+      - templates:
+          - |
+            apiVersion: v1
+            kind: Secret
+            metadata:
+              name: my-secret
+            type: Opaque
+            stringData:
+              key: "init"
diff --git a/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-plain/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-plain/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..daa9af24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/test-cases/lookup/input-plain/helmfile.yaml.gotmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+releases:
+  - name: lookup-test
+    chart: ../../../charts/raw
+    namespace: {{ .Namespace }}
+    forceNamespace: {{ .Namespace }}
+    values:
+      - templates:
+          - |
+            apiVersion: v1
+            kind: Secret
+            metadata:
+              name: lookup-result
+            type: Opaque
+            stringData:
+              key: {{`{{ index (index (lookup "v1" "Secret" .Release.Namespace "my-secret") "data") "key" | b64dec | default "overwritten" }}`}}