diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35d89b7..24fcd5d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,12 +100,19 @@ The snippet below shows the various configurable settings and their defaults.
   ```Ruby
   Rails.application.configure do
     config.active_elastic_job.process_jobs = ENV['PROCESS_ACTIVE_ELASTIC_JOBS'] == 'true'
-    config.active_elastic_job.aws_credentials = Aws::InstanceProfileCredentials.new
+    config.active_elastic_job.aws_credentials = lambda { Aws::InstanceProfileCredentials.new } # allows lambdas for lazy loading
     config.active_elastic_job.secret_key_base = Rails.application.secrets[:secret_key_base]
     cofnig.active_elastic_job.periodic_tasks_route = '/periodic_tasks'.freeze
   end
   ```
 
+If you want to provide the AWS credentials not by the EC2 instance prodfile, but via environment variables, you can do so:
+  ```Ruby
+  Rails.application.configure do
+    config.active_elastic_job.aws_credentials = Aws::Credentials.new(ENV['AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID'], ENV['AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'])
+  end
+  ```
+
 ## FAQ
 A summary of frequently asked questions:
 ### What are the advantages in comparison to popular alternatives like Resque, Sidekiq or DelayedJob?
diff --git a/lib/active_elastic_job/railtie.rb b/lib/active_elastic_job/railtie.rb
index 9f27c22..03d80a7 100644
--- a/lib/active_elastic_job/railtie.rb
+++ b/lib/active_elastic_job/railtie.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ module ActiveElasticJob
   class Railtie < Rails::Railtie
     config.active_elastic_job = ActiveSupport::OrderedOptions.new
     config.active_elastic_job.process_jobs = ENV['PROCESS_ACTIVE_ELASTIC_JOBS'] == 'true'
-    config.active_elastic_job.aws_credentials = Aws::InstanceProfileCredentials.new
+    config.active_elastic_job.aws_credentials = lambda { Aws::InstanceProfileCredentials.new }
     config.active_elastic_job.periodic_tasks_route = '/periodic_tasks'.freeze
 
     initializer "active_elastic_job.insert_middleware" do |app|
diff --git a/lib/active_job/queue_adapters/active_elastic_job_adapter.rb b/lib/active_job/queue_adapters/active_elastic_job_adapter.rb
index 54745c4..71d8921 100644
--- a/lib/active_job/queue_adapters/active_elastic_job_adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/active_job/queue_adapters/active_elastic_job_adapter.rb
@@ -169,7 +169,11 @@ def aws_sqs_client
         end
 
         def aws_sqs_client_credentials
-          config.aws_credentials
+          @aws_credentials ||= if config.aws_credentials.kind_of?(Proc)
+                                 config.aws_credentials.call
+                               else
+                                 config.aws_credentials
+                               end
         end
 
         def aws_region