diff --git a/src/pkg/variables/templates.go b/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
index f0153d0baa..a4dcf1d84f 100644
--- a/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
+++ b/src/pkg/variables/templates.go
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ func (vc *VariableConfig) ReplaceTextTemplate(path string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer textFile.Close()
 
 	// This regex takes a line and parses the text before and after a discovered template: https://regex101.com/r/ilUxAz/1
 	regexTemplateLine := regexp.MustCompile(fmt.Sprintf("(?P<preTemplate>.*?)(?P<template>%s)(?P<postTemplate>.*)", templateRegex))
@@ -130,5 +129,11 @@ func (vc *VariableConfig) ReplaceTextTemplate(path string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// We're done scanning, close our file
+	err = textFile.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return os.WriteFile(path, []byte(text), helpers.ReadWriteUser)
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/variables/templates_test.go b/src/pkg/variables/templates_test.go
index 73c2ddd7e4..524febf0fb 100644
--- a/src/pkg/variables/templates_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/variables/templates_test.go
@@ -133,10 +133,12 @@ func TestReplaceTextTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 			tmpDir := t.TempDir()
 			tc.path = filepath.Join(tmpDir, "templates.test")
 
-			f, _ := os.Create(tc.path)
-			defer f.Close()
+			f, err := os.Create(tc.path)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
 
-			_, err := f.WriteString(start)
+			_, err = f.WriteString(start)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			err = f.Close()
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 		}
 
@@ -145,7 +147,8 @@ func TestReplaceTextTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 			require.Error(t, gotErr)
 		} else {
 			require.NoError(t, gotErr)
-			gotContents, _ := os.ReadFile(tc.path)
+			gotContents, err := os.ReadFile(tc.path)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.Equal(t, tc.wantContents, string(gotContents))
 		}
 	}