diff --git a/src/sagemaker/utils.py b/src/sagemaker/utils.py
index db19cfcb71..5b25b61d81 100644
--- a/src/sagemaker/utils.py
+++ b/src/sagemaker/utils.py
@@ -346,16 +346,21 @@ def download_folder(bucket_name, prefix, target, sagemaker_session):
 
     # Try to download the prefix as an object first, in case it is a file and not a 'directory'.
     # Do this first, in case the object has broader permissions than the bucket.
-    try:
-        s3.Object(bucket_name, prefix).download_file(os.path.join(target, os.path.basename(prefix)))
-        return
-    except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as e:
-        if e.response["Error"]["Code"] == "404" and e.response["Error"]["Message"] == "Not Found":
-            # S3 also throws this error if the object is a folder,
-            # so assume that is the case here, and then raise for an actual 404 later.
-            _download_files_under_prefix(bucket_name, prefix, target, s3)
-        else:
-            raise
+    if not prefix.endswith("/"):
+        try:
+            file_destination = os.path.join(target, os.path.basename(prefix))
+            s3.Object(bucket_name, prefix).download_file(file_destination)
+            return
+        except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as e:
+            err_info = e.response["Error"]
+            if err_info["Code"] == "404" and err_info["Message"] == "Not Found":
+                # S3 also throws this error if the object is a folder,
+                # so assume that is the case here, and then raise for an actual 404 later.
+                pass
+            else:
+                raise
+
+    _download_files_under_prefix(bucket_name, prefix, target, s3)
 
 
 def _download_files_under_prefix(bucket_name, prefix, target, s3):
@@ -370,7 +375,7 @@ def _download_files_under_prefix(bucket_name, prefix, target, s3):
     bucket = s3.Bucket(bucket_name)
     for obj_sum in bucket.objects.filter(Prefix=prefix):
         # if obj_sum is a folder object skip it.
-        if obj_sum.key != "" and obj_sum.key[-1] == "/":
+        if obj_sum.key.endswith("/"):
             continue
         obj = s3.Object(obj_sum.bucket_name, obj_sum.key)
         s3_relative_path = obj_sum.key[len(prefix) :].lstrip("/")
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index 2cbb6561e1..02db2e1533 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-# Copyright 2018 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
+# Copyright 2018-2020 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"). You
 # may not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of
@@ -349,12 +349,16 @@ def obj_mock_download(path):
         call(os.path.join("/tmp", "train", "validation_data.csv")),
     ]
     obj_mock.download_file.assert_has_calls(calls)
+    assert s3_mock.Object.call_count == 3
+
+    s3_mock.reset_mock()
     obj_mock.reset_mock()
 
     # Test with a trailing slash for the prefix.
     sagemaker.utils.download_folder(BUCKET_NAME, "/prefix/", "/tmp", session)
     obj_mock.download_file.assert_called()
     obj_mock.download_file.assert_has_calls(calls)
+    assert s3_mock.Object.call_count == 2
 
 
 @patch("os.makedirs")