diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/cfgmaps.go b/pkg/storage/driver/cfgmaps.go
index f05541d46..98bb9ffa4 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/cfgmaps.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/cfgmaps.go
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ func newConfigMapsObject(key string, rls *rspb.Release, lbs labels) (*v1.ConfigM
 		lbs.init()
 	}
 
+	// apply custom labels
+	lbs.fromMap(rls.Labels)
+
 	// apply labels
 	lbs.set("name", rls.Name)
 	lbs.set("owner", owner)
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/mock_test.go b/pkg/storage/driver/mock_test.go
index 1f96f04b1..7a1541a02 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/mock_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/mock_test.go
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ func releaseStub(name string, vers int, namespace string, status rspb.Status) *r
 		Namespace: namespace,
 		Info:      &rspb.Info{Status: status},
 		Labels: map[string]string{
-			"k1": "v1",
-			"k2": "v2",
+			"key1": "val1",
+			"key2": "val2",
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/secrets.go b/pkg/storage/driver/secrets.go
index e2be9548f..e714d2e80 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/secrets.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/secrets.go
@@ -226,6 +226,9 @@ func newSecretsObject(key string, rls *rspb.Release, lbs labels) (*v1.Secret, er
 		lbs.init()
 	}
 
+	// apply custom labels
+	lbs.fromMap(rls.Labels)
+
 	// apply labels
 	lbs.set("name", rls.Name)
 	lbs.set("owner", owner)
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/sql.go b/pkg/storage/driver/sql.go
index 58a360849..18f51f3fd 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/sql.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/sql.go
@@ -598,6 +598,11 @@ func (s *SQL) Delete(key string) (*rspb.Release, error) {
 		return release, err
 	}
 
+	if release.Labels, err = s.getReleaseCustomLabels(key, s.namespace); err != nil {
+		s.Log("failed to get release %s/%s custom labels: %v", s.namespace, key, err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	deleteCustomLabelsQuery, args, err := s.statementBuilder.
 		Delete(sqlCustomLabelsTableName).
 		Where(sq.Eq{sqlCustomLabelsTableReleaseKeyColumn: key}).
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/sql_test.go b/pkg/storage/driver/sql_test.go
index 1b0bdef86..2bbe05a9f 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/sql_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/sql_test.go
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func TestSqlCreate(t *testing.T) {
 		sqlCustomLabelsTableKeyColumn,
 		sqlCustomLabelsTableValueColumn,
 	)
-	for k, v := range rel.Labels {
+	for k, v := range filterSystemLabels(rel.Labels) {
 		mock.
 			ExpectExec(regexp.QuoteMeta(labelsQuery)).
 			WithArgs(key, rel.Namespace, k, v).
@@ -478,6 +478,8 @@ func TestSqlDelete(t *testing.T) {
 		WithArgs(key, namespace).
 		WillReturnResult(sqlmock.NewResult(0, 1))
 
+	mockGetReleaseCustomLabels(mock, key, namespace, rel.Labels)
+
 	deleteLabelsQuery := fmt.Sprintf(
 		"DELETE FROM %s WHERE %s = $1 AND %s = $2",
 		sqlCustomLabelsTableName,
diff --git a/pkg/storage/driver/util_test.go b/pkg/storage/driver/util_test.go
index 800049eca..5aa9f915b 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/driver/util_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/driver/util_test.go
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ func TestIsSystemLabel(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFilterSystemLabels(t *testing.T) {
 	var tests = [][2]map[string]string{
-		{nil, nil},
-		{map[string]string{}, nil},
+		{nil, map[string]string{}},
+		{map[string]string{}, map[string]string{}},
 		{map[string]string{
 			"name":       "name",
 			"owner":      "owner",
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func TestFilterSystemLabels(t *testing.T) {
 			"version":    "version",
 			"createdAt":  "createdAt",
 			"modifiedAt": "modifiedAt",
-		}, nil},
+		}, map[string]string{}},
 		{map[string]string{
 			"StaTus": "status",
 			"name":   "name",