diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6cc6433ab..615b3d581 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ The following environment variables can be used to configure Livebook on boot:
     building the Docker image; to do so add "RUN /app/bin/warmup_apps" to
     your image). Defaults to "auto".
 
+  * `LIVEBOOK_AWS_CREDENTIALS` - enable Livebook to read AWS Credentials from
+    environment variables, AWS Credentials, EC2/ECS metadata when configuring
+    S3 buckets.
+
   * `LIVEBOOK_BASE_URL_PATH` - sets the base url path the web application is
     served on. Useful when deploying behind a reverse proxy.
 
diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index accb6ad9b..621eb6933 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ config :livebook,
   shutdown_callback: nil,
   update_instructions_url: nil,
   within_iframe: false,
-  allowed_uri_schemes: []
+  allowed_uri_schemes: [],
+  aws_credentials: false
 
 # TODO: Remove this in aws_credentials 0.2.0
 config :aws_credentials, fail_if_unavailable: false
diff --git a/lib/livebook.ex b/lib/livebook.ex
index 116fbcd42..d7247603d 100644
--- a/lib/livebook.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook.ex
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ defmodule Livebook do
       config :livebook, :within_iframe, true
     end
 
+    if Livebook.Config.boolean!("LIVEBOOK_AWS_CREDENTIALS", false) do
+      config :livebook, :aws_credentials, true
+    end
+
     config :livebook,
            :default_runtime,
            Livebook.Config.default_runtime!("LIVEBOOK_DEFAULT_RUNTIME") ||
diff --git a/lib/livebook/application.ex b/lib/livebook/application.ex
index 1f98aafb3..17f31da62 100644
--- a/lib/livebook/application.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook/application.ex
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ defmodule Livebook.Application do
   use Application
 
   def start(_type, _args) do
+    setup_optional_dependencies()
     ensure_directories!()
     set_local_file_system!()
     ensure_distribution!()
@@ -84,6 +85,12 @@ defmodule Livebook.Application do
     :ok
   end
 
+  defp setup_optional_dependencies() do
+    if Livebook.Config.aws_credentials?() do
+      Application.ensure_all_started(:aws_credentials)
+    end
+  end
+
   defp ensure_directories!() do
     File.mkdir_p!(Livebook.Config.home())
     File.mkdir_p!(Livebook.Config.data_path())
diff --git a/lib/livebook/config.ex b/lib/livebook/config.ex
index af651f404..a61c81a58 100644
--- a/lib/livebook/config.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook/config.ex
@@ -219,6 +219,14 @@ defmodule Livebook.Config do
     Application.fetch_env!(:livebook, :teams_url)
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Returns if aws_credentials is enabled.
+  """
+  @spec aws_credentials?() :: boolean()
+  def aws_credentials?() do
+    Application.fetch_env!(:livebook, :aws_credentials)
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Shuts down the system, if possible.
   """
diff --git a/lib/livebook/file_system/s3.ex b/lib/livebook/file_system/s3.ex
index 297191762..36e140207 100644
--- a/lib/livebook/file_system/s3.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook/file_system/s3.ex
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ defmodule Livebook.FileSystem.S3 do
   end
 
   defp try_environment_credentials(changeset) do
-    case :aws_credentials.get_credentials() do
+    case get_credentials() do
       :undefined ->
         add_error(
           changeset,
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ defmodule Livebook.FileSystem.S3 do
   def credentials(%__MODULE__{} = file_system) do
     case {file_system.access_key_id, file_system.secret_access_key} do
       {nil, nil} ->
-        case :aws_credentials.get_credentials() do
+        case get_credentials() do
           :undefined ->
             %{access_key_id: nil, secret_access_key: nil, session_token: nil}
 
@@ -154,6 +154,14 @@ defmodule Livebook.FileSystem.S3 do
         }
     end
   end
+
+  defp get_credentials do
+    if Livebook.Config.aws_credentials?() do
+      :aws_credentials.get_credentials()
+    else
+      :undefined
+    end
+  end
 end
 
 defimpl Livebook.FileSystem, for: Livebook.FileSystem.S3 do
diff --git a/lib/livebook_web/live/hub/file_system_form_component.ex b/lib/livebook_web/live/hub/file_system_form_component.ex
index a451eab62..dbf669160 100644
--- a/lib/livebook_web/live/hub/file_system_form_component.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook_web/live/hub/file_system_form_component.ex
@@ -59,13 +59,23 @@ defmodule LivebookWeb.Hub.FileSystemFormComponent do
             placeholder="https://s3.[region].amazonaws.com/[bucket]"
           />
           <.text_field field={f[:region]} label="Region (optional)" />
-          <.password_field field={f[:access_key_id]} label="Access Key ID (optional)" />
-          <.password_field field={f[:secret_access_key]} label="Secret Access Key (optional)" />
-          <p class="text-xs text-gray-700">
-            You may leave Access Key fields empty. In such cases,
-            they will be automatically read from your environment variables,
-            AWS credentials, or Amazon EC2/ECS metadata.
-          </p>
+          <%= if Livebook.Config.aws_credentials?() do %>
+            <.password_field field={f[:access_key_id]} label="Access Key ID (optional)" />
+            <.password_field field={f[:secret_access_key]} label="Secret Access Key (optional)" />
+            <p class="text-xs text-gray-700">
+              You may leave Access Key fields empty. In such cases,
+              they will be automatically read from your environment variables,
+              AWS credentials, or Amazon EC2/ECS metadata.
+            </p>
+          <% else %>
+            <.password_field field={f[:access_key_id]} label="Access Key ID" />
+            <.password_field field={f[:secret_access_key]} label="Secret Access Key" />
+            <p class="text-xs text-gray-700">
+              Start Livebook with <code>LIVEBOOK_AWS_CREDENTIALS</code> environment
+              variable set if you want to automatically read credentials from
+              environment variables, AWS credentials, or Amazon EC2/ECS metadata.
+            </p>
+          <% end %>
           <div class="flex space-x-2">
             <button class="button-base button-blue" type="submit" disabled={not @changeset.valid?}>
               <.remix_icon icon={@button.icon} class="align-middle mr-1" />
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 3e63120f4..5425d715b 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ defmodule Livebook.MixProject do
       {:earmark_parser, "~> 1.4"},
       {:ecto, "~> 3.10"},
       {:phoenix_ecto, "~> 4.4"},
-      {:aws_credentials, "~> 0.1.11"},
+      {:aws_credentials, "~> 0.1.11", runtime: false},
       {:aws_signature, "~> 0.3.0"},
       {:mint_web_socket, "~> 1.0.0"},
       {:protobuf, "~> 0.8.0"},