diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5c649349e6..88b5501568 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ BUG FIXES:
 * Azure ML connection URI is an object, not string ([#3486](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3486))
 * Update key in Linux VM deploy script ([#3434](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3434))
 * Add missing `azure_environment` porter parameters ([#3549](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3549))
-* Fix airlock_notifier not getting the right smtp password ([#3561](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3561))
+* Fix airlock_notifier not getting the right smtp password ([#3561](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3561), [#3571](https://github.com/microsoft/AzureTRE/issues/3571))
 
 COMPONENTS:
 
diff --git a/api_app/_version.py b/api_app/_version.py
index c0d4999208..8066fa278f 100644
--- a/api_app/_version.py
+++ b/api_app/_version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "0.15.2"
+__version__ = "0.15.3"
diff --git a/api_app/service_bus/helpers.py b/api_app/service_bus/helpers.py
index ec7b3e888b..050e48b83f 100644
--- a/api_app/service_bus/helpers.py
+++ b/api_app/service_bus/helpers.py
@@ -64,10 +64,12 @@ async def update_resource_for_step(operation_step: OperationStep, resource_repo:
     parent_template = await resource_template_repo.get_template_by_name_and_version(step_resource.templateName, step_resource.templateVersion, step_resource.resourceType, step_resource_parent_service_name)
 
     # if there are no pipelines, no need to continue with substitutions.
-    if parent_template.pipeline is None:
+    if not parent_template.pipeline:
         return step_resource
 
-    if parent_template.pipeline.dict()[primary_action] is None:
+    pipeline_primary_action = parent_template.pipeline.dict()[primary_action]
+    is_first_main_step = pipeline_primary_action and len(pipeline_primary_action) == 1 and pipeline_primary_action[0]['stepId'] == 'main'
+    if not pipeline_primary_action or is_first_main_step:
         return step_resource
 
     # get the template step