diff --git a/server/constants/env.go b/server/constants/env.go
index cc1ddfc..c0af6a3 100644
--- a/server/constants/env.go
+++ b/server/constants/env.go
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ const (
 	// EnvKeyDatabaseURL key for env variable DATABASE_URL
 	EnvKeyDatabaseURL = "DATABASE_URL"
 	// EnvAwsRegion key for env variable AWS REGION
-	EnvAwsRegion = "REGION"
-	// EnvAwsAccessKey key for env variable AWS_ACCESS_KEY
-	EnvAwsAccessKey = "AWS_ACCESS_KEY"
-	// EnvAwsAccessKey key for env variable AWS_SECRET_KEY
-	EnvAwsSecretKey = "AWS_SECRET_KEY"
+	EnvAwsRegion = "AWS_REGION"
+	// EnvAwsAccessKeyID key for env variable AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID
+	EnvAwsAccessKeyID = "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"
+	// EnvAwsAccessKey key for env variable AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
+	EnvAwsSecretAccessKey = "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"
 	// EnvKeyDatabaseName key for env variable DATABASE_NAME
 	EnvKeyDatabaseName = "DATABASE_NAME"
 	// EnvKeyDatabaseUsername key for env variable DATABASE_USERNAME
diff --git a/server/db/providers/dynamodb/provider.go b/server/db/providers/dynamodb/provider.go
index 7457613..0caa6ea 100644
--- a/server/db/providers/dynamodb/provider.go
+++ b/server/db/providers/dynamodb/provider.go
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
 package dynamodb
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/constants"
-	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/db/models"
-	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/memorystore"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/credentials"
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/session"
 	"github.com/guregu/dynamo"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/constants"
+	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/db/models"
+	"github.com/authorizerdev/authorizer/server/memorystore"
 )
 
 type provider struct {
@@ -21,8 +23,8 @@ type provider struct {
 func NewProvider() (*provider, error) {
 	dbURL := memorystore.RequiredEnvStoreObj.GetRequiredEnv().DatabaseURL
 	awsRegion := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsRegion)
-	accessKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsAccessKey)
-	secretKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsSecretKey)
+	accessKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID)
+	secretKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey)
 
 	config := aws.Config{
 		MaxRetries:                    aws.Int(3),
@@ -33,6 +35,16 @@ func NewProvider() (*provider, error) {
 		config.Region = aws.String(awsRegion)
 	}
 
+	if accessKey == "" {
+		log.Debugf("%s not found", constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid aws credentials. %s not found", constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID)
+	}
+
+	if secretKey == "" {
+		log.Debugf("%s not found", constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid aws credentials. %s not found", constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey)
+	}
+
 	// custom accessKey, secretkey took first priority, if not then fetch config from aws credentials
 	if accessKey != "" && secretKey != "" {
 		config.Credentials = credentials.NewStaticCredentials(accessKey, secretKey, "")
@@ -40,8 +52,6 @@ func NewProvider() (*provider, error) {
 		// static config in case of testing or local-setup
 		config.Credentials = credentials.NewStaticCredentials("key", "key", "")
 		config.Endpoint = aws.String(dbURL)
-	} else {
-		log.Info("REGION, AWS_ACCESS_KEY and AWS_SECRET_KEY not found in .env, trying to load default profile from aws credentials")
 	}
 
 	session := session.Must(session.NewSession(&config))
diff --git a/server/env/env.go b/server/env/env.go
index 491e4ee..79777f0 100644
--- a/server/env/env.go
+++ b/server/env/env.go
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ func InitAllEnv() error {
 	osOrganizationName := os.Getenv(constants.EnvKeyOrganizationName)
 	osOrganizationLogo := os.Getenv(constants.EnvKeyOrganizationLogo)
 	osAwsRegion := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsRegion)
-	osAwsAccessKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsAccessKey)
-	osAwsSecretKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsSecretKey)
+	osAwsAccessKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID)
+	osAwsSecretKey := os.Getenv(constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey)
 
 	// os bool vars
 	osAppCookieSecure := os.Getenv(constants.EnvKeyAppCookieSecure)
@@ -129,18 +129,18 @@ func InitAllEnv() error {
 		envData[constants.EnvAwsRegion] = osAwsRegion
 	}
 
-	if val, ok := envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKey]; !ok || val == "" {
-		envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKey] = osAwsAccessKey
+	if val, ok := envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID]; !ok || val == "" {
+		envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID] = osAwsAccessKey
 	}
-	if osAwsAccessKey != "" && envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKey] != osAwsRegion {
-		envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKey] = osAwsAccessKey
+	if osAwsAccessKey != "" && envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID] != osAwsRegion {
+		envData[constants.EnvAwsAccessKeyID] = osAwsAccessKey
 	}
 
-	if val, ok := envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretKey]; !ok || val == "" {
-		envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretKey] = osAwsSecretKey
+	if val, ok := envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey]; !ok || val == "" {
+		envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey] = osAwsSecretKey
 	}
-	if osAwsSecretKey != "" && envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretKey] != osAwsRegion {
-		envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretKey] = osAwsSecretKey
+	if osAwsSecretKey != "" && envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey] != osAwsRegion {
+		envData[constants.EnvAwsSecretAccessKey] = osAwsSecretKey
 	}
 
 	if val, ok := envData[constants.EnvKeyAppURL]; !ok || val == "" {