diff --git a/schema/schema.go b/schema/schema.go
index 26b4eed6..fd1921bb 100644
--- a/schema/schema.go
+++ b/schema/schema.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/v2/utils"
 	"github.com/xeipuuv/gojsonschema"
 )
 
@@ -76,14 +77,15 @@ func Validate(config map[string]interface{}) error {
 // removeSecretsContentProperty removes the content property from secrets
 // we add the content key here loader/environment.go:66
 func removeSecretsContentProperty(config map[string]interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
-	if secrets, ok := config["secrets"].(map[string]interface{}); ok {
+	configClone := utils.CloneMap(config)
+	if secrets, ok := configClone["secrets"].(map[string]interface{}); ok {
 		for _, secret := range secrets {
 			if secretMap, ok := secret.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
 				delete(secretMap, "content")
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return config
+	return configClone
 }
 
 func toError(result *gojsonschema.Result) error {
diff --git a/utils/map.go b/utils/map.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d45b43ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/map.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2020 The Compose Specification Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package utils
+
+func CloneMap(config map[string]interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
+	clone := make(map[string]interface{})
+	for k, v := range config {
+		if vMap, ok := v.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
+			clone[k] = CloneMap(vMap)
+		} else {
+			clone[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	return clone
+}
diff --git a/utils/map_test.go b/utils/map_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..484ef634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/map_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2020 The Compose Specification Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package utils
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestCloneMap(t *testing.T) {
+	original := map[string]interface{}{
+		"key1": "value1",
+		"key2": map[string]interface{}{
+			"nestedKey1": "nestedValue1",
+			"nestedKey2": map[string]interface{}{
+				"nestedNestedKey1": "nestedNestedValue1",
+			},
+		},
+		"key3": 42,
+	}
+
+	clone := CloneMap(original)
+
+	// Check if the clone is deeply equal to the original
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(original, clone) {
+		t.Errorf("Clone is not equal to the original. Expected %v, got %v", original, clone)
+	}
+
+	// Modify the clone and check if original is unchanged (deep clone verification)
+	clone["key2"].(map[string]interface{})["nestedKey1"] = "modifiedValue"
+	if reflect.DeepEqual(original, clone) {
+		t.Errorf("Original was changed when modifying the clone. Original: %v, Clone: %v", original, clone)
+	}
+
+	clone["key2"].(map[string]interface{})["nestedKey2"].(map[string]interface{})["nestedNestedKey1"] = "modifiedNestedNestedValue"
+	if reflect.DeepEqual(original, clone) {
+		t.Errorf("Original was changed when modifying the nested clone. Original: %v, Clone: %v", original, clone)
+	}
+}