diff --git a/charts/templates/_helpers.tpl b/charts/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 114251a..1cc6111 100644
--- a/charts/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/charts/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -137,10 +137,14 @@ true
 {{- if .Values.adapterTaskConfig.create -}}
   {{- $hasYaml := not (empty .Values.adapterTaskConfig.yaml) -}}
   {{- $hasFiles := not (empty .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files) -}}
-  {{- if or $hasYaml $hasFiles -}}
+  {{- $hasExternal := not (empty .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external) -}}
+  {{- if and $hasYaml (or $hasFiles $hasExternal) -}}
+{{- fail "Cannot set .Values.adapterTaskConfig.yaml with .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files or .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external - these modes are mutually exclusive." -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+  {{- if or $hasYaml $hasFiles $hasExternal -}}
 true
   {{- else -}}
-{{- fail "When .Values.adapterTaskConfig.create is true, either .Values.adapterTaskConfig.yaml or .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files must be provided." -}}
+{{- fail "When .Values.adapterTaskConfig.create is true, at least one of .Values.adapterTaskConfig.yaml, .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files, or .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external must be provided." -}}
   {{- end -}}
 {{- else if (hasKey .Values.adapterTaskConfig "configMapName") -}}
   {{- if and .Values.adapterTaskConfig.configMapName (ne .Values.adapterTaskConfig.configMapName "") -}}
@@ -296,3 +300,27 @@ googlepubsub
 rabbitmq
 {{- end -}}
 {{- end }}
+
+
+{{/*
+Validate no key collisions between adapterTaskConfig.external and adapterTaskConfig.files
+Also validate that all file paths in adapterTaskConfig.files actually exist
+*/}}
+{{- define "hyperfleet-adapter.validateTaskConfigKeys" -}}
+{{- if and .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
+  {{- range $name, $value := .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external }}
+    {{- $externalKey := printf "%s.yaml" $name }}
+    {{- if hasKey $.Values.adapterTaskConfig.files $externalKey }}
+      {{- fail (printf "ConfigMap key collision: '%s' exists in both adapterTaskConfig.external and adapterTaskConfig.files" $externalKey) }}
+    {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- if .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
+  {{- range $key, $path := .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
+    {{- $content := $.Files.Get $path }}
+    {{- if not $content }}
+      {{- fail (printf "adapterTaskConfig.files.%s: file not found or empty at path '%s'" $key $path) }}
+    {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- end }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/charts/templates/configmap-adapter-task.yaml b/charts/templates/configmap-adapter-task.yaml
index 0355679..31bdf67 100644
--- a/charts/templates/configmap-adapter-task.yaml
+++ b/charts/templates/configmap-adapter-task.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+
+
 {{- if .Values.adapterTaskConfig.create }}
+{{- include "hyperfleet-adapter.validateTaskConfigKeys" . }}
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: ConfigMap
 metadata:
@@ -16,9 +19,17 @@ data:
 {{ toYaml .Values.adapterTaskConfig.yaml | nindent 4 }}
     {{- end }}
   {{- else }}
-    {{- range $key, $path := .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
+  {{- if .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external }}
+  {{- range $name, $value := .Values.adapterTaskConfig.external }}
+  {{ $name }}.yaml: |
+{{ $value | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- if .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
+  {{- range $key, $path := .Values.adapterTaskConfig.files }}
   {{ $key }}: |
-    {{ $.Files.Get $path | nindent 4 }}
-    {{- end }}
+{{ $.Files.Get $path | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
   {{- end }}
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/charts/values.yaml b/charts/values.yaml
index 0da8ba2..c165ace 100644
--- a/charts/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/values.yaml
@@ -32,21 +32,34 @@ adapterConfig:
     level: info
 # AdapterTaskConfig (business logic) can be created:
 # - option1: from an existing ConfigMap by setting configMapName
-# - option2: from a YAML file by setting yaml
-# - option3: from a set of files by setting files
+# - option2: from inline YAML by setting yaml (mutually exclusive with files/external)
+# - option3: from chart-packaged files by setting files (can be combined with external)
+# - option4: from external content by setting external (can be combined with files)
 adapterTaskConfig:
   create: true
   # option1: ConfigMap name (if different from default, and set create: false)
   #configMapName: ""
 
   # option2: AdapterTaskConfig YAML (creates task-config.yaml key in ConfigMap)
+  # Mutually exclusive with files and external
   # yaml:
-  #  params: []
-  #  resources: []
+  #   params: []
+  #   resources: []
 
   # option3: AdapterTaskConfig YAML files packaged with the chart
+  # Files are loaded from the chart directory via $.Files.Get
+  # Can be combined with external for site-specific overrides
   # files:
-  # task-config.yaml: examples/kubernetes/adapter-task-config.yaml
+  #   task-config.yaml: examples/kubernetes/adapter-task-config.yaml
+
+  # option4: External content passed in (e.g., via --set-file)
+  # Creates ConfigMap keys as <name>.yaml with the provided content
+  # Can be combined with files (collision detection enforced)
+  # external:
+  #   myconfig: |
+  #     params: []
+  #     resources: []
+  # Or use: --set-file adapterTaskConfig.external.myconfig=/path/to/config.yaml
 affinity: {}
 # Override default args
 args: