diff --git a/compiler/native/compile_test.go b/compiler/native/compile_test.go
index 275ab925c..29a37c8d3 100644
--- a/compiler/native/compile_test.go
+++ b/compiler/native/compile_test.go
@@ -3292,6 +3292,123 @@ func Test_CompileLite(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantErr: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "render_inline with stages and env in template",
+			args: args{
+				file:         "testdata/inline_with_stages_env.yml",
+				pipelineType: "",
+				substitute:   true,
+			},
+			want: &yaml.Build{
+				Version: "1",
+				Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
+					RenderInline: true,
+					Environment:  []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
+				},
+				Templates: []*yaml.Template{
+					{
+						Name:   "golang",
+						Source: "github.example.com/github/octocat/golang_inline_stages_env.yml",
+						Format: "golang",
+						Type:   "github",
+						Variables: map[string]any{
+							"image":              string("golang:latest"),
+							"VELA_TEMPLATE_NAME": string("golang"),
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{"DONT": "break"},
+				Stages: []*yaml.Stage{
+					{
+						Name:  "test",
+						Needs: []string{"clone"},
+						Steps: []*yaml.Step{
+							{
+								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"echo from inline"},
+								Image:    "alpine",
+								Name:     "test",
+								Pull:     "not_present",
+							},
+							{
+								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"echo from inline ruleset"},
+								Image:    "alpine",
+								Name:     "ruleset",
+								Pull:     "not_present",
+								Ruleset: yaml.Ruleset{
+									If: yaml.Rules{
+										Event:  []string{"push"},
+										Branch: []string{"main"},
+									},
+									Matcher:  "filepath",
+									Operator: "and",
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name:  "golang_foo",
+						Needs: []string{"clone"},
+						Steps: []*yaml.Step{
+							{
+								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"echo hello from foo"},
+								Image:    "golang:latest",
+								Name:     "golang_foo",
+								Pull:     "not_present",
+								Ruleset: yaml.Ruleset{
+									If: yaml.Rules{
+										Event: []string{"tag"},
+										Tag:   []string{"v*"},
+									},
+									Matcher:  "filepath",
+									Operator: "and",
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name:  "golang_bar",
+						Needs: []string{"clone"},
+						Steps: []*yaml.Step{
+							{
+								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"echo hello from bar"},
+								Image:    "golang:latest",
+								Name:     "golang_bar",
+								Pull:     "not_present",
+								Ruleset: yaml.Ruleset{
+									If: yaml.Rules{
+										Event: []string{"tag"},
+										Tag:   []string{"v*"},
+									},
+									Matcher:  "filepath",
+									Operator: "and",
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name:  "golang_star",
+						Needs: []string{"clone"},
+						Steps: []*yaml.Step{
+							{
+								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"echo hello from star"},
+								Image:    "golang:latest",
+								Name:     "golang_star",
+								Pull:     "not_present",
+								Ruleset: yaml.Ruleset{
+									If: yaml.Rules{
+										Event: []string{"tag"},
+										Tag:   []string{"v*"},
+									},
+									Matcher:  "filepath",
+									Operator: "and",
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "render_inline with stages - ruleset",
 			args: args{
@@ -3827,6 +3944,7 @@ func Test_CompileLite(t *testing.T) {
 				Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
 					Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 				},
+				Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 				Stages: []*yaml.Stage{
 					{
 						Name:  "foo",
diff --git a/compiler/native/parse.go b/compiler/native/parse.go
index a09f6964e..6da637188 100644
--- a/compiler/native/parse.go
+++ b/compiler/native/parse.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/compiler/template/native"
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/compiler/template/starlark"
 	"github.com/go-vela/types/constants"
+	typesRaw "github.com/go-vela/types/raw"
 	types "github.com/go-vela/types/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -100,6 +101,13 @@ func (c *client) Parse(v interface{}, pipelineType string, template *types.Templ
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse config: unrecognized pipeline_type of %s", c.repo.GetPipelineType())
 	}
 
+	// initializing Environment to prevent nil error
+	// as it may be modified later via templates, if
+	// none are defined in the base pipeline
+	if p.Environment == nil {
+		p.Environment = typesRaw.StringSliceMap{}
+	}
+
 	return p, raw, nil
 }
 
@@ -113,6 +121,13 @@ func ParseBytes(data []byte) (*types.Build, []byte, error) {
 		return nil, data, fmt.Errorf("unable to unmarshal yaml: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// initializing Environment to prevent nil error
+	// as it may be modified later via templates, if
+	// none are defined in the base pipeline
+	if config.Environment == nil {
+		config.Environment = typesRaw.StringSliceMap{}
+	}
+
 	return config, data, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/compiler/native/parse_test.go b/compiler/native/parse_test.go
index 74da7baa9..a47da0459 100644
--- a/compiler/native/parse_test.go
+++ b/compiler/native/parse_test.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Metadata_Bytes(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Metadata_File(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Metadata_Path(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -126,6 +129,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Metadata_Reader(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -154,6 +158,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Metadata_String(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -179,6 +184,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Parameters(t *testing.T) {
 		Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 		Steps: yaml.StepSlice{
 			&yaml.Step{
 				Image: "plugins/docker:18.09",
@@ -457,6 +463,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Secrets(t *testing.T) {
 		Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 		Secrets: yaml.SecretSlice{
 			&yaml.Secret{
 				Name:   "docker_username",
@@ -527,6 +534,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Stages(t *testing.T) {
 		Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 		Stages: yaml.StageSlice{
 			&yaml.Stage{
 				Name:  "install",
@@ -603,6 +611,7 @@ func TestNative_Parse_Steps(t *testing.T) {
 		Metadata: yaml.Metadata{
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 		Steps: yaml.StepSlice{
 			&yaml.Step{
 				Commands: []string{"./gradlew downloadDependencies"},
@@ -663,6 +672,7 @@ func TestNative_ParseBytes_Metadata(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -709,6 +719,7 @@ func TestNative_ParseFile_Metadata(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -759,6 +770,7 @@ func TestNative_ParsePath_Metadata(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -795,6 +807,7 @@ func TestNative_ParseReader_Metadata(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -836,6 +849,7 @@ func TestNative_ParseString_Metadata(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 	}
 
 	// run test
@@ -870,6 +884,7 @@ func Test_client_Parse(t *testing.T) {
 			Clone:       nil,
 			Environment: []string{"steps", "services", "secrets"},
 		},
+		Environment: raw.StringSliceMap{},
 		Steps: yaml.StepSlice{
 			{
 				Name:  "foo",
diff --git a/compiler/native/testdata/golang_inline_stages_env.yml b/compiler/native/testdata/golang_inline_stages_env.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32be4a52f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/native/testdata/golang_inline_stages_env.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+version: "1"
+
+environment:
+  DONT: break
+
+{{$stageList := list "foo" "bar" "star" -}}
+
+stages:
+  {{range $stage := $stageList -}}
+  {{ $stage }}:
+      steps:
+        - name: {{ $stage }}
+          image: {{ default "alpine" $.image }}
+          ruleset:
+            event: tag
+            tag: v*
+          commands:
+            - echo hello from {{ $stage }}
+  {{ end }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/native/testdata/inline_with_stages_env.yml b/compiler/native/testdata/inline_with_stages_env.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93f5ff58a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/native/testdata/inline_with_stages_env.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+version: "1"
+
+metadata:
+  render_inline: true
+
+templates:
+  - name: golang
+    source: github.example.com/github/octocat/golang_inline_stages_env.yml
+    format: golang
+    type: github
+    vars:
+      image: golang:latest
+
+stages:
+  test:
+    steps:
+      - name: test
+        image: alpine
+        commands:
+          - echo from inline
+      - name: ruleset
+        image: alpine
+        ruleset:
+          event: push
+          branch: main
+        commands:
+          - echo from inline ruleset
\ No newline at end of file