diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/hybrid/rabbitmq-outbound-connector-hybrid.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/hybrid/rabbitmq-outbound-connector-hybrid.json
index a5667aa745..959fdfe220 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/hybrid/rabbitmq-outbound-connector-hybrid.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/hybrid/rabbitmq-outbound-connector-hybrid.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.RabbitMQ.v1",
   "description" : "Send message to RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=outbound",
-  "version" : 4,
+  "version" : 5,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-boundary.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-boundary.json
index f67c2d3a9d..456b3ccdce 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-boundary.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-boundary.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.inbound.RabbitMQ.Boundary.v1",
   "description" : "Receive a message from RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=inbound",
-  "version" : 5,
+  "version" : 6,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-intermediate.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-intermediate.json
index e102af6fa8..1413672582 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-intermediate.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-intermediate.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.inbound.RabbitMQ.Intermediate.v1",
   "description" : "Receive a message from RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=inbound",
-  "version" : 5,
+  "version" : 6,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-message-start.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-message-start.json
index f5287f8c64..87c566ac33 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-message-start.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-message-start.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.inbound.RabbitMQ.MessageStart.v1",
   "description" : "Receive a message from RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=inbound",
-  "version" : 5,
+  "version" : 6,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-start-event.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-start-event.json
index 540cee84fc..65e3dede74 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-start-event.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-inbound-connector-start-event.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.inbound.RabbitMQ.StartEvent.v1",
   "description" : "Receive a message from RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=inbound",
-  "version" : 5,
+  "version" : 6,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-outbound-connector.json b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-outbound-connector.json
index 25221f6784..6447ea7343 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-outbound-connector.json
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/element-templates/rabbitmq-outbound-connector.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "id" : "io.camunda.connectors.RabbitMQ.v1",
   "description" : "Send message to RabbitMQ",
   "documentationRef" : "https://docs.camunda.io/docs/components/connectors/out-of-the-box-connectors/rabbitmq/?rabbitmq=outbound",
-  "version" : 4,
+  "version" : 5,
   "category" : {
     "id" : "connectors",
     "name" : "Connectors"
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
     "constraints" : {
       "notEmpty" : true,
       "pattern" : {
-        "value" : "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+        "value" : "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
         "message" : "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference"
       }
     },
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/common/model/UriAuthentication.java b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/common/model/UriAuthentication.java
index 9e40801263..775ac2cc89 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/common/model/UriAuthentication.java
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/common/model/UriAuthentication.java
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 public record UriAuthentication(
     @NotBlank
         @Pattern(
-            regexp = "^(amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
+            regexp = "^(=|amqps?://|secrets|\\{\\{).*$",
             message = "Must start with amqp(s):// or contain a secret reference")
         @TemplateProperty(
             group = "authentication",
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/inbound/RabbitMqExecutable.java b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/inbound/RabbitMqExecutable.java
index 0232f0b361..2a89898e89 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/inbound/RabbitMqExecutable.java
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/inbound/RabbitMqExecutable.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     id = "io.camunda.connectors.inbound.RabbitMQ",
     name = "RabbitMQ Connector",
     icon = "icon.svg",
-    version = 5,
+    version = 6,
     inputDataClass = RabbitMqInboundProperties.class,
     description = "Receive a message from RabbitMQ",
     documentationRef =
diff --git a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/outbound/RabbitMqFunction.java b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/outbound/RabbitMqFunction.java
index 922392860c..4cb8afcebf 100644
--- a/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/outbound/RabbitMqFunction.java
+++ b/connectors/rabbitmq/src/main/java/io/camunda/connector/rabbitmq/outbound/RabbitMqFunction.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     name = "RabbitMQ Outbound Connector",
     description = "Send message to RabbitMQ",
     inputDataClass = RabbitMqRequest.class,
-    version = 4,
+    version = 5,
     propertyGroups = {
       @ElementTemplate.PropertyGroup(id = "authentication", label = "Authentication"),
       @ElementTemplate.PropertyGroup(id = "routing", label = "Routing"),