diff --git a/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run-with-safety.yaml b/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run-with-safety.yaml
index d61e09854..1fac21375 100644
--- a/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run-with-safety.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run-with-safety.yaml
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ providers:
   - provider_id: meta-reference
     provider_type: inline::meta-reference
     config:
+      service_name: "${env.OTEL_SERVICE_NAME:\u200B}"
       sinks: ${env.TELEMETRY_SINKS:console,sqlite}
       sqlite_db_path: ${env.SQLITE_DB_PATH:~/.llama/distributions/podman-ai-lab/trace_store.db}
   eval:
diff --git a/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run.yaml b/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run.yaml
index cf24b70bf..bf0d9a1a0 100644
--- a/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/templates/podman-ai-lab/run.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ providers:
   - provider_id: meta-reference
     provider_type: inline::meta-reference
     config:
+      service_name: "${env.OTEL_SERVICE_NAME:\u200B}"
       sinks: ${env.TELEMETRY_SINKS:console,sqlite}
       sqlite_db_path: ${env.SQLITE_DB_PATH:~/.llama/distributions/podman-ai-lab/trace_store.db}
   eval: