diff --git a/examples/mariadb-ephemeral-template.json b/examples/mariadb-ephemeral-template.json
index e227fac0..a0f184c3 100644
--- a/examples/mariadb-ephemeral-template.json
+++ b/examples/mariadb-ephemeral-template.json
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
                   "initialDelaySeconds": 5,
                   "exec": {
                     "command": [ "/bin/sh", "-i", "-c",
-                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
+                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" && mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
                   }
                 },
                 "livenessProbe": {
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
                   "initialDelaySeconds": 30,
                   "exec": {
                     "command": [ "/bin/sh", "-i", "-c",
-                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
+                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" && mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
                   }
                 },
                 "env": [
diff --git a/examples/mariadb-persistent-template.json b/examples/mariadb-persistent-template.json
index 7bc6dab1..ca3cb809 100644
--- a/examples/mariadb-persistent-template.json
+++ b/examples/mariadb-persistent-template.json
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
                   "initialDelaySeconds": 5,
                   "exec": {
                     "command": [ "/bin/sh", "-i", "-c",
-                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
+                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" && mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
                   }
                 },
                 "livenessProbe": {
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
                   "initialDelaySeconds": 30,
                   "exec": {
                     "command": [ "/bin/sh", "-i", "-c",
-                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
+                      "MYSQL_PWD=\"$MYSQL_PASSWORD\" && mysqladmin -u $MYSQL_USER ping"]
                   }
                 },
                 "env": [