diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/s3.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/s3.go
index fe63c6c5191..40260884122 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/s3.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/s3.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ var (
 	region = flag.String("s3_backup_aws_region", "us-east-1", "AWS region to use")
 
 	// AWS endpoint, defaults to amazonaws.com but appliances may use a different location
-	endpoint = flag.String("s3_backup_aws_endpoint", "amazonaws.com", "endpoint of the S3 backend (region must be provided)")
+	endpoint = flag.String("s3_backup_aws_endpoint", "", "endpoint of the S3 backend (region must be provided)")
 
 	// bucket is where the backups will go.
 	bucket = flag.String("s3_backup_storage_bucket", "", "S3 bucket to use for backups")
diff --git a/go/vt/topo/consultopo/server.go b/go/vt/topo/consultopo/server.go
index 56e1026f34a..55bd575f8fc 100644
--- a/go/vt/topo/consultopo/server.go
+++ b/go/vt/topo/consultopo/server.go
@@ -110,11 +110,14 @@ func NewServer(cell, serverAddr, root string) (*Server, error) {
 	}
 	cfg := api.DefaultConfig()
 	cfg.Address = serverAddr
-	if creds != nil && creds[cell] != nil {
-		cfg.Token = creds[cell].ACLToken
-	} else {
-		log.Warningf("Client auth not configured for cell: %v", cell)
+	if creds != nil {
+		if creds[cell] != nil {
+			cfg.Token = creds[cell].ACLToken
+		} else {
+			log.Warningf("Client auth not configured for cell: %v", cell)
+		}
 	}
+
 	client, err := api.NewClient(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err