diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 5f05c20dcb1ef7cfe8b5608c79155037504c520f..12e8dcc73e3fde0a181c6a450c9a5990bee0b1aa 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-ca_cert=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
-token=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
+ca_cert=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
+token=ZXlKaGJHY2lPaUpTVXpJMU5pSXNJbXRwWkNJNklpSjkuZXlKcGMzTWlPaUpyZFdKbGNtNWxkR1Z6TDNObGNuWnBZMlZoWTJOdmRXNTBJaXdpYTNWaVpYSnVaWFJsY3k1cGJ5OXpaWEoyYVdObFlXTmpiM1Z1ZEM5dVlXMWxjM0JoWTJVaU9pSjBaWE4wSWl3aWEzVmlaWEp1WlhSbGN5NXBieTl6WlhKMmFXTmxZV05qYjNWdWRDOXpaV055WlhRdWJtRnRaU0k2SW5SbGMzUXRkRzlyWlc0dGMybzJlR2NpTENKcmRXSmxjbTVsZEdWekxtbHZMM05sY25acFkyVmhZMk52ZFc1MEwzTmxjblpwWTJVdFlXTmpiM1Z1ZEM1dVlXMWxJam9pZEdWemRDSXNJbXQxWW1WeWJtVjBaWE11YVc4dmMyVnlkbWxqWldGalkyOTFiblF2YzJWeWRtbGpaUzFoWTJOdmRXNTBMblZwWkNJNklqY3lZVEkyTW1Oa0xXVXdabVV0TVRGbE9DMWlaREZsTFRBd1l6QmtaREZoWldKa01DSXNJbk4xWWlJNkluTjVjM1JsYlRwelpYSjJhV05sWVdOamIzVnVkRHAwWlhOME9uUmxjM1FpZlEuYXg3U1JTZnk5VGtTeUFaMmFRYWl1Y3FKZkwyTzZyZGdJc2d3Q0lBb1JlX2VQakNNMjRydld6SkdULU8yLU1hcHpRTGJ3UjhaVEZTa211RG1BcDhBZFhpYlBocjB4RXFkTnBkREhraTlkVTg5djdnT09wQklEaTVsWHlNRlNmbFBFOVU3QWZ3TFduMU5wS0VVbjkzZlhGRHRobjd3T3JXcEoxYzE4WS1ubnR2MTduMEk5c25qZmZVMXNPME1rdm9TTHEzZ3lZcHotb0hic1MzVGFGMDlBLU05WDBPVWJ6ZXdKMjBFcFhRbUJvOXUycEY4dDFoc2lQcE92UGFQNWF6dHp2c3ZDVld2QktjRzB0RUoweklUWTA2WU5KSWFmb2dXUV9RbjlsVmxqTzk5c245ZnktS2xMVkdVdGdSS1g5aTlSNlZWMGRXSWx4SS1lMl9NTzVIendR
 docker_config=foobar
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8d17a421f0a0812fb68ae874b965afcb7f8d68e7..03ed6a75edc1e90dd97974aeae75aefea3e8e5c2 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ docker_publish_production:
   services:
   - docker:dind
   script: |
-    test "${DOCKER_LIVE_AUTH_CONFIG}" == "" && echo "docker-config does not exists, aborting!" && false
-    mkdir -p ~/.docker && echo "$DOCKER_LIVE_AUTH_CONFIG" >~/.docker/config.json
+    test "${DOCKER_PRODUCTION_AUTH_CONFIG}" == "" && echo "docker-config does not exists, aborting!" && false
+    mkdir -p ~/.docker && echo "$DOCKER_PRODUCTION_AUTH_CONFIG" >~/.docker/config.json
     docker load --input=image.tar.gz
     export version=`expr ${CI_COMMIT_TAG} ':' 'release/\(.\+\)'`
     export major_version=`expr ${version} ':' '\([^.]\+\)'`
diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index b6bbc99a25c13b09c18937cfedf4f68bafaac283..dab974618a4ab915d74072873f8d7f9e3db15818 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.2.3] - 2018-11-05
+### Changed
+* option `--certificate-authority` is now optional, so you do not need to provide it in case your apiserver is using a valid public certificate
+* removed image-import prior to build - introduced in v1.2.1 - since it is useless
+
 ## [1.2.2] - 2018-09-12
 ### Fixed
 * upgrade performs with `--recreate-pods` to always recreate pods
@@ -32,3 +37,4 @@
 [1.2.0]: https://git.sc.uni-leipzig.de/ubl/bdd_dev/webmasterei/deployer/compare/release%2F1.1.1...release%2F1.2.0
 [1.2.1]: https://git.sc.uni-leipzig.de/ubl/bdd_dev/webmasterei/deployer/compare/release%2F1.2.0...release%2F1.2.1
 [1.2.2]: https://git.sc.uni-leipzig.de/ubl/bdd_dev/webmasterei/deployer/compare/release%2F1.2.1...release%2F1.2.2
+[1.2.3]: https://git.sc.uni-leipzig.de/ubl/bdd_dev/webmasterei/deployer/compare/release%2F1.2.2...release%2F1.2.3
diff --git a/Readme.md b/Readme.md
index 46b25825f5653a5901e24e5cc0065a81acad812c..7fd1faecc5e680d1340cc927deb9f837eb5eb395 100644
--- a/Readme.md
+++ b/Readme.md
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ From now on charts located in this repository can be deployed by using the `--ch
 
 ## docker build
 
-* `--input`: sets the filepath to the file from where the image is loaded prior to build
 * `--build-arg`: used to provide build-arguments do `docker build`-command. This is mainly used for `HTTP_PROXY`/`http_proxy`: When you specify `--build-arg HTTP_PROXY=...` the tool adds the build argument `--build-arg http_proxy=...` as well, so lower-case proxy-variables are provided automatically. Nevertheless can you use this option to provide your own build-arguments within the `Dockerfile`
 * `--output`: sets the filepath to the file where the built image is saved
 
diff --git a/assets/deployer b/assets/deployer
index 486e4c06c99f674f8111b1472e87ed6e511445ce..1a24f8a4fd5b2d5dd843fad88b170ac22fc002cc 100755
--- a/assets/deployer
+++ b/assets/deployer
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ done
 
 prepare_kubectl() {
 	local out
+	local args=""
+
 	echo -ne "setting kubectl "
 	if [ "${cluster_url}" == "" ];then
 		echo "failed! No cluster url set."
@@ -124,11 +126,6 @@ prepare_kubectl() {
 		return 1
 	fi
 
-	if [ "${certificate_authority}" == "" ];then
-		echo "failed! No certificate authority set."
-		echo "Please be sure to provide a certificate authority via --certificate-authority"
-	fi
-
 	if [ "${token}" == "" ];then
 		echo "failed! No token set."
 		echo "Please be sure to provide a token via --token"
@@ -153,9 +150,13 @@ prepare_kubectl() {
 
 	echo ""
 
+	if [ "${certificate_authority}" != "" ];then
+		echo "${certificate_authority}" | base64 -d >"${ca_file}"
+		args=" --certificate-authority=${ca_file} --embed-certs=true"
+	fi
+
 	echo -ne "\tSetting cluster..."
-	echo "${certificate_authority}" | base64 -d >"${ca_file}"
-	out=`kubectl config set-cluster "${cluster_name}" --certificate-authority=${ca_file} --server="${cluster_url}" --embed-certs=true`
+	out=`kubectl config set-cluster "${cluster_name}" --server=${cluster_url}${args}`
 	if [ "$?" != "0" ];then
 		echo "failed"
 		echo "$out"
@@ -437,7 +438,6 @@ fi
 
 case $1 in
 	build)
-		import_image
 		build_image && save_image
 		;;
 	publish)
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 4220e90fc3103de751f5979b78fe4242068b93c8..942c275a0154168c53f88e7087e6ae15f51f6757 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ services:
       DOCKER_HOST: tcp://docker:2375
     command: deployer deploy --namespace test --cluster-url https://172.18.85.125:6443 --certificate-authority ${ca_cert} --token ${token} --service-account test --name testdeploy --charts ./examplechart --set image.tag=stable
 
+  deploy-without-ca:
+    build: .
+    volumes:
+      - ./:/app
+      - ./assets/deployer:/usr/local/bin/deployer
+    depends_on:
+      - docker
+    environment:
+      DOCKER_HOST: tcp://docker:2375
+    command: deployer deploy --namespace test --cluster-url https://172.18.85.125:6443 --token ${token} --service-account test --name testdeploy --charts ./examplechart --set image.tag=stable
+
   undeploy:
     build: .
     volumes: