diff --git a/.changes/next-release/bugfix-AWSSDKforJavav2-64dd59e.json b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-AWSSDKforJavav2-64dd59e.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9315d357efd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-AWSSDKforJavav2-64dd59e.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+    "category": "AWS SDK for Java v2", 
+    "contributor": "", 
+    "type": "bugfix", 
+    "description": "Don't attempt to use empty session tokens"
+}
diff --git a/core/auth/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/auth/credentials/internal/SystemSettingsCredentialsProvider.java b/core/auth/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/auth/credentials/internal/SystemSettingsCredentialsProvider.java
index c84cc44c6237..9c4a642c251c 100644
--- a/core/auth/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/auth/credentials/internal/SystemSettingsCredentialsProvider.java
+++ b/core/auth/src/main/java/software/amazon/awssdk/auth/credentials/internal/SystemSettingsCredentialsProvider.java
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public AwsCredentials resolveCredentials() {
         String secretKey = trim(loadSetting(SdkSystemSetting.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY).orElse(null));
         String sessionToken = trim(loadSetting(SdkSystemSetting.AWS_SESSION_TOKEN).orElse(null));
 
-        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(accessKey)) {
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(accessKey)) {
             throw SdkClientException.builder()
                                     .message(String.format("Unable to load credentials from system settings. Access key must be" +
                                              " specified either via environment variable (%s) or system property (%s).",
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public AwsCredentials resolveCredentials() {
                                     .build();
         }
 
-        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(secretKey)) {
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(secretKey)) {
             throw SdkClientException.builder()
                                     .message(String.format("Unable to load credentials from system settings. Secret key must be" +
                                              " specified either via environment variable (%s) or system property (%s).",
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ public AwsCredentials resolveCredentials() {
                                     .build();
         }
 
-        return sessionToken == null ? AwsBasicCredentials.create(accessKey, secretKey)
-                                    : AwsSessionCredentials.create(accessKey, secretKey, sessionToken);
+        return StringUtils.isBlank(sessionToken) ? AwsBasicCredentials.create(accessKey, secretKey)
+                                                 : AwsSessionCredentials.create(accessKey, secretKey, sessionToken);
     }
 
     /**