diff --git a/.config/autoconfig.php b/.config/autoconfig.php
index 92ad2a1c..efe13615 100644
--- a/.config/autoconfig.php
+++ b/.config/autoconfig.php
@@ -1,37 +1,25 @@
 <?php
 
+require_once "util.php";
+
 $autoconfig_enabled = false;
 
 if (getenv('SQLITE_DATABASE')) {
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbtype'] = 'sqlite';
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = getenv('SQLITE_DATABASE');
     $autoconfig_enabled = true;
-} elseif (getenv('MYSQL_DATABASE_FILE') && getenv('MYSQL_USER_FILE') && getenv('MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE') && getenv('MYSQL_HOST')) {
+} elseif (getFileEnv('MYSQL_DATABASE') && getFileEnv('MYSQL_USER') && getFileEnv('MYSQL_PASSWORD') && getenv('MYSQL_HOST')) {
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbtype'] = 'mysql';
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('MYSQL_DATABASE_FILE')));
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('MYSQL_USER_FILE')));
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE')));
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = getFileEnv('MYSQL_DATABASE');
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = getFileEnv('MYSQL_USER');
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = getFileEnv('MYSQL_PASSWORD');
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbhost'] = getenv('MYSQL_HOST');
     $autoconfig_enabled = true;
-} elseif (getenv('MYSQL_DATABASE') && getenv('MYSQL_USER') && getenv('MYSQL_PASSWORD') && getenv('MYSQL_HOST')) {
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbtype'] = 'mysql';
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = getenv('MYSQL_DATABASE');
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = getenv('MYSQL_USER');
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = getenv('MYSQL_PASSWORD');
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbhost'] = getenv('MYSQL_HOST');
-    $autoconfig_enabled = true;
-} elseif (getenv('POSTGRES_DB_FILE') && getenv('POSTGRES_USER_FILE') && getenv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE') && getenv('POSTGRES_HOST')) {
+} elseif (getFileEnv('POSTGRES_DB') && getFileEnv('POSTGRES_USER') && getFileEnv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD') && getenv('POSTGRES_HOST')) {
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbtype'] = 'pgsql';
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('POSTGRES_DB_FILE')));
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('POSTGRES_USER_FILE')));
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE')));
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbhost'] = getenv('POSTGRES_HOST');
-    $autoconfig_enabled = true;
-} elseif (getenv('POSTGRES_DB') && getenv('POSTGRES_USER') && getenv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD') && getenv('POSTGRES_HOST')) {
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbtype'] = 'pgsql';
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = getenv('POSTGRES_DB');
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = getenv('POSTGRES_USER');
-    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = getenv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD');
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbname'] = getFileEnv('POSTGRES_DB');
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbuser'] = getFileEnv('POSTGRES_USER');
+    $AUTOCONFIG['dbpass'] = getFileEnv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD');
     $AUTOCONFIG['dbhost'] = getenv('POSTGRES_HOST');
     $autoconfig_enabled = true;
 }
diff --git a/.config/smtp.config.php b/.config/smtp.config.php
index 5006fe47..55f6f2bf 100644
--- a/.config/smtp.config.php
+++ b/.config/smtp.config.php
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 <?php
+
+require_once "util.php";
+
 if (getenv('SMTP_HOST') && getenv('MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS') && getenv('MAIL_DOMAIN')) {
   $CONFIG = array (
     'mail_smtpmode' => 'smtp',
@@ -8,15 +11,8 @@ if (getenv('SMTP_HOST') && getenv('MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS') && getenv('MAIL_DOMAIN'))
     'mail_smtpauth' => getenv('SMTP_NAME') && (getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD') || (getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD_FILE') && file_exists(getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD_FILE')))),
     'mail_smtpauthtype' => getenv('SMTP_AUTHTYPE') ?: 'LOGIN',
     'mail_smtpname' => getenv('SMTP_NAME') ?: '',
+    'mail_smtppassword' => getFileEnv('SMTP_PASSWORD', ''),
     'mail_from_address' => getenv('MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS'),
     'mail_domain' => getenv('MAIL_DOMAIN'),
   );
-
-  if (getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD_FILE') && file_exists(getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD_FILE'))) {
-      $CONFIG['mail_smtppassword'] = trim(file_get_contents(getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD_FILE')));
-  } elseif (getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD')) {
-      $CONFIG['mail_smtppassword'] = getenv('SMTP_PASSWORD');
-  } else {
-      $CONFIG['mail_smtppassword'] = '';
-  }
 }
diff --git a/.config/util.php b/.config/util.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c73e5b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/util.php
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * Gets the value of an environment variable or the contents of the file
+ * at the path specified by its value if it exists with a suffix of "_FILE"
+ */
+function getFileEnv(string $envVarName, ?string $defaultValue): ?string {
+    $FILE_ENV_VAR_SUFFIX = "_FILE";
+
+    $fileEnvVarName = "$envVarName$FILE_ENV_VAR_SUFFIX";
+    $filename = getenv($fileEnvVarName);
+    $envVarValue = getenv($envVarName);
+
+    $configValue = null;
+    if ($filename && file_exists($filename)) {
+        $configValue = trim(file_get_contents($filename));
+    } else if ($envVarValue) {
+        $configValue = $envVarValue;
+    } else if ($defaultValue) {
+        $configValue = $defaultValue;
+    }
+    return $configValue;
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b02c66de..2ad64fab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -436,8 +436,6 @@ secrets:
 
 Currently, this is only supported for `NEXTCLOUD_ADMIN_PASSWORD`, `NEXTCLOUD_ADMIN_USER`, `MYSQL_DATABASE`, `MYSQL_PASSWORD`, `MYSQL_USER`, `POSTGRES_DB`, `POSTGRES_PASSWORD`, `POSTGRES_USER`, `REDIS_HOST_PASSWORD`, `SMTP_PASSWORD`, `OBJECTSTORE_S3_KEY`, and `OBJECTSTORE_S3_SECRET`.
 
-If you set any group of values (i.e. all of `MYSQL_DATABASE_FILE`, `MYSQL_USER_FILE`, `MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE`, `MYSQL_HOST`), the script will not use the corresponding group of environment variables (`MYSQL_DATABASE`, `MYSQL_USER`, `MYSQL_PASSWORD`, `MYSQL_HOST`).
-
 # Make your Nextcloud available from the internet
 Until here, your Nextcloud is just available from your docker host. If you want your Nextcloud available from the internet adding SSL encryption is mandatory.