diff --git a/awx/main/models/mixins.py b/awx/main/models/mixins.py
index 3ae26eaf71..9ec0a8d736 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/mixins.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/mixins.py
@@ -130,12 +130,14 @@ class SurveyJobTemplateMixin(models.Model):
             for survey_element in self.survey_spec.get("spec", []):
                 default = survey_element.get('default')
                 variable_key = survey_element.get('variable')
+
                 if survey_element.get('type') == 'password':
                     if variable_key in kwargs_extra_vars and default:
                         kw_value = kwargs_extra_vars[variable_key]
                         if kw_value.startswith('$encrypted$') and kw_value != default:
                             kwargs_extra_vars[variable_key] = default
-                if default is not None:
+
+                if default is not None and variable_key in extra_vars:
                     extra_vars[variable_key] = default
 
         # Overwrite job template extra vars with explicit job extra vars
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_survey_spec.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_survey_spec.py
index f954538973..1aff4b8eea 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_survey_spec.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_survey_spec.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def test_launch_with_non_empty_survey_spec_no_license(job_template_factory, post
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 @pytest.mark.survey
 def test_redact_survey_passwords_in_activity_stream(job_template_with_survey_passwords):
-    job_template_with_survey_passwords.create_unified_job()
+    job_template_with_survey_passwords.create_unified_job(extra_vars={'secret_key':''})
     AS_record = ActivityStream.objects.filter(object1='job').all()[0]
     changes_dict = json.loads(AS_record.changes)
     extra_vars = json.loads(changes_dict['extra_vars'])