diff --git a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/lib/repository.ts b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/lib/repository.ts
index 4729abb90..b1f4de793 100644
--- a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/lib/repository.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/lib/repository.ts
@@ -286,9 +286,9 @@ export interface RepositorySecurityGroupsOptions {
 export interface SecretsManagementProps {
   /**
    * Whether or not to enable the Secrets Management feature.
-   * @default true
    */
-  readonly enabled?: boolean;
+  readonly enabled: boolean;
+
   /**
    * A Secret containing the username and password to use for the admin role.
    * The contents of this secret must be a JSON document with the keys "username" and "password". ex:
@@ -296,7 +296,9 @@ export interface SecretsManagementProps {
    *         "username": <admin user name>,
    *         "password": <admin user password>,
    *     }
-   * Password should contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one symbol and one number.
+   * Password should be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one symbol and one number.
+   * In case when password does not meet requirements secret management will be disabled.
+   * It is highly recommended that you leave this parameter undefined to enable the automatic generation of a strong password.
    *
    * @default: A random username and password will be generated in a Secret with ID `SMAdminUser` and will need to be retrieved from AWS Secrets Manager if it is needed
    */
@@ -427,7 +429,7 @@ export interface RepositoryProps {
    * https://docs.thinkboxsoftware.com/products/deadline/10.1/1_User%20Manual/manual/secrets-management/deadline-secrets-management.html
    * @default: Secrets Management will be enabled and a username and password will be automatically generated if none are supplied.
    */
-  readonly secretsManagementSettings?: SecretsManagementProps
+  readonly secretsManagementSettings?: SecretsManagementProps;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -518,6 +520,11 @@ export class Repository extends Construct implements IRepository {
    */
   private static REPOSITORY_OWNER = { uid: 1000, gid: 1000 };
 
+  /**
+   * Default username for auto generated admin credentials in Secret Manager.
+   */
+  private static DEFAULT_SECRETS_MANAGEMENT_USERNAME: string = 'admin';
+
   /**
    * @inheritdoc
    */
@@ -552,7 +559,7 @@ export class Repository extends Construct implements IRepository {
   /**
    * Deadline Secrets Management settings.
    */
-  public readonly secretsManagementSettings: SecretsManagementProps
+  public readonly secretsManagementSettings: SecretsManagementProps;
 
   constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props: RepositoryProps) {
     super(scope, id);
@@ -578,13 +585,13 @@ export class Repository extends Construct implements IRepository {
         ((props.secretsManagementSettings?.enabled ?? true) ? new Secret(this, 'SMAdminUser', {
           description: 'Admin credentials for Secret Management',
           generateSecretString: {
-            excludeCharacters: '\"$&\'()-/<>[\\]\`{|}',
+            excludeCharacters: '\"$&\'()/<>[\\]\`{|}',
             includeSpace: false,
             passwordLength: 24,
             requireEachIncludedType: true,
 
             generateStringKey: 'password',
-            secretStringTemplate: JSON.stringify({ username: 'admin' }),
+            secretStringTemplate: JSON.stringify({ username: Repository.DEFAULT_SECRETS_MANAGEMENT_USERNAME }),
           },
         }) : undefined),
     };
diff --git a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/scripts/bash/installDeadlineRepository.sh b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/scripts/bash/installDeadlineRepository.sh
index 302b1f9e9..771ec36ea 100644
--- a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/scripts/bash/installDeadlineRepository.sh
+++ b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/scripts/bash/installDeadlineRepository.sh
@@ -118,27 +118,18 @@ fi
 SECRET_MANAGEMENT_ARG=''
 if [ ! -z "${SECRET_MANAGEMENT_ARN+x}" ]; then
   sudo yum install -y jq
-
   SM_SECRET_VALUE=$(aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id=$SECRET_MANAGEMENT_ARN --region=$AWS_REGION)
   SM_SECRET_STRING=$(jq -r '.SecretString' <<< "$SM_SECRET_VALUE")
   SECRET_MANAGEMENT_USER=$(jq -r '.username' <<< "$SM_SECRET_STRING")
   SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD=$(jq -r '.password' <<< "$SM_SECRET_STRING")
-
-  len=$(echo ${#SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD})
-  if test $len -ge 8 ; then
-      echo "$SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD" | grep -q [0-9]
-      if test $? -eq 0 ; then
-          echo "$SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD" | grep -q [A-Z]
-          if test $? -eq 0 ; then
-              echo "$SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD" | grep -q [a-z]
-              if test $? -eq 0 ; then
-                  echo "$SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD" | grep -q [~,.,:,@,!,\#,%,*,_,+,-,=,?]
-                  if test $? -eq 0 ; then
-                      SM_STRONG_PASSWORD='true'
-                  fi  
-              fi
-          fi
-      fi
+  if !([[ ${#SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD} -ge 8 ]] && 
+    echo $SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD | grep -q [0-9] &&
+    echo $SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD | grep -q [a-z] &&
+    echo $SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD | grep -q [A-Z] &&
+    echo $SECRET_MANAGEMENT_PASSWORD | grep -q [^[:alnum:]])
+  then
+    echo "ERROR: Admin password is too weak. It must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one symbol and one digit."
+    exit 1
   fi
   if [ -z "${SM_STRONG_PASSWORD+x}" ]; then
     echo "ERROR: Admin password is too weak. It must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one symbol and one digit."
diff --git a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/test/repository.test.ts b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/test/repository.test.ts
index 4d7a844a6..1f5a4a3ce 100644
--- a/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/test/repository.test.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-rfdk/lib/deadline/test/repository.test.ts
@@ -1289,7 +1289,7 @@ test('secret manager enabled', () => {
   // THEN
   expect(repository.secretsManagementSettings.credentials).toBe(expectedCredentials);
   const installerGroup = repository.node.tryFindChild('Installer') as AutoScalingGroup;
-  expect(installerGroup.userData.render()).toContain(`--installSecretsManagement true ${stack.region} ${expectedCredentials.secretArn}`);
+  expect(installerGroup.userData.render()).toContain(`-r ${stack.region} -c ${expectedCredentials.secretArn}`);
 });
 
 test('secret manager is enabled by default', () => {