diff --git a/datajob/stepfunctions/stepfunctions_workflow.py b/datajob/stepfunctions/stepfunctions_workflow.py
index 1512c8e..102aea3 100644
--- a/datajob/stepfunctions/stepfunctions_workflow.py
+++ b/datajob/stepfunctions/stepfunctions_workflow.py
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ def __init__(
             if role is None
             else role
         )
-        self.region = region if region else os.environ["AWS_DEFAULT_REGION"]
+        self.region = (
+            region if region is not None else os.environ.get("AWS_DEFAULT_REGION")
+        )
 
     def add_task(self, task_other):
         """add a task to the workflow we would like to orchestrate."""
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ def _build_workflow(self):
         )
         workflow_definition = steps.Chain(self.chain_of_tasks)
         logger.debug(f"creating a workflow with name {self.unique_name}")
-        self.client = boto3.client("stepfunctions", region_name=self.region)
+        self.client = boto3.client("stepfunctions")
         self.workflow = Workflow(
             name=self.unique_name,
             definition=workflow_definition,