diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/index.js b/lib/plugins/aws/index.js
index 2dedadb72..92394cf28 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/index.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/index.js
@@ -80,27 +80,12 @@ class SDK {
     }
 
     const profile = process.env[`${prefix}_PROFILE`]
-      || this.serverless.service.getVariables(stage).profile
-      || this.serverless.config.aws_profile;
+      || this.serverless.service.getVariables(stage).profile;
 
     if (profile) {
       credentials.profile = profile;
     } else {
-      credentials.accessKeyId = process.env[`${prefix}_ACCESS_KEY_ID`]
-        || this.serverless.service.getVariables(stage).accessKeyId
-        || this.serverless.config.aws_accessKeyId;
-
-      credentials.secretAccessKey = process.env[`${prefix}_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`]
-        || this.serverless.service.getVariables(stage).secretAccessKey
-        || this.serverless.config.aws_secretAccessKey;
-
-      credentials.sessionToken = process.env[`${prefix}_SESSION_TOKEN`]
-        || this.serverless.service.getVariables(stage).sessionToken
-        || this.serverless.config.aws_sessionToken;
-    }
-
-    if (!credentials.profile && (!credentials.accessKeyId || !credentials.secretAccessKey)) {
-      throw new this.serverless.classes.Error('Please provide a profile or access key pair');
+      throw new this.serverless.classes.Error('Please provide an aws profile');
     }
 
     return credentials;
diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/tests/index.js b/lib/plugins/aws/tests/index.js
index e2d53148a..c7143b3bb 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/tests/index.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/tests/index.js
@@ -87,9 +87,10 @@ describe('AWS SDK', () => {
   describe('#getCredentials()', () => {
     it('should get credentials', () => {
       const serverless = new Serverless();
-      serverless.config.aws_profile = 'default';
       serverless.service.environment = {
-        vars: {},
+        vars: {
+          profile: 'default',
+        },
         stages: {
           dev: {
             vars: {},
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ describe('AWS SDK', () => {
       expect(credentials.profile).to.deep.equal('default');
     });
 
-    it('should throw error if credentials not provided', () => {
+    it('should throw error if profile not set', () => {
       const serverless = new Serverless();
       const awsSdk = new AwsSdk(serverless);
       serverless.service.environment = {