diff --git a/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws.go b/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws.go
index b04899ea..cc5f2e42 100644
--- a/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws.go
+++ b/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws.go
@@ -37,12 +37,22 @@ type CredentialsHelper struct {
 // New creates a new instance of aws credentials helper
 func New() *CredentialsHelper {
 	ch := &CredentialsHelper{}
-	if os.Getenv("AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID") != "" && os.Getenv("AWS_ACCESS_KEY") != "" && os.Getenv("AWS_REGION") != "" {
+
+	region := os.Getenv("AWS_REGION")
+	svc := ecr.New(session.New(), &aws.Config{
+		Region: aws.String(region),
+	})
+
+	_, err := svc.ListImages(&ecr.ListImagesInput{})
+	if err == nil {
 		ch.enabled = true
 		log.Infof("extension.credentialshelper.aws: enabled")
-		ch.region = os.Getenv("AWS_REGION")
+		ch.region = region
 	}
 
+	// if os.Getenv("AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID") != "" && os.Getenv("AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY") != "" && os.Getenv("AWS_REGION") != "" {
+	// }
+
 	return ch
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +62,9 @@ func (h *CredentialsHelper) IsEnabled() bool {
 }
 
 // GetCredentials - finds credentials
-func (h *CredentialsHelper) GetCredentials(registry string) (*types.Credentials, error) {
+func (h *CredentialsHelper) GetCredentials(image *types.TrackedImage) (*types.Credentials, error) {
+
+	registry := image.Image.Registry()
 
 	if !strings.Contains(registry, "amazonaws.com") {
 		return nil, credentialshelper.ErrUnsupportedRegistry
diff --git a/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws_test.go b/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws_test.go
index 0f4275bf..b6519a43 100644
--- a/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws_test.go
+++ b/extension/credentialshelper/aws/aws_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/keel-hq/keel/registry"
+	"github.com/keel-hq/keel/types"
 	"github.com/keel-hq/keel/util/image"
 )
 
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ func TestAWS(t *testing.T) {
 	// image
 	imgRef, _ := image.Parse("528670773427.dkr.ecr.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/webhook-demo:master")
 
-	creds, err := ch.GetCredentials(imgRef.Registry())
+	creds, err := ch.GetCredentials(&types.TrackedImage{
+		Image: imgRef,
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("cred helper got error: %s", err)
 	}