diff --git a/packages/kvstore/src/index.test.ts b/packages/kvstore/src/index.test.ts
index 5a9fe3b5..eb6c0cd5 100644
--- a/packages/kvstore/src/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/kvstore/src/index.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ class TestClient extends KeyValueStoreClient {
 }
 
 describe('KeyValueStoreClient', () => {
+  const envs = process.env;
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    process.env = { ...envs };
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    process.env = envs;
+  });
+
   describe('create', () => {
     test('creates a local client', async () => {
       const client = new TestClient({ path: '/tmp/foo' });
@@ -17,6 +26,7 @@ describe('KeyValueStoreClient', () => {
     });
 
     test('creates an autotask client', async () => {
+      process.env.DEFENDER_ENV = 'DEFENDER_ACTION_ENVIRONMENT';
       const credentials = JSON.stringify({
         AccessKeyId: 'keyId',
         SecretAccessKey: 'accessKey',
diff --git a/packages/kvstore/src/index.ts b/packages/kvstore/src/index.ts
index ba406c01..0684a276 100644
--- a/packages/kvstore/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/kvstore/src/index.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ export class KeyValueStoreClient implements IKeyValueStoreClient {
   protected implementation: IKeyValueStoreClient;
 
   public constructor(params: KeyValueStoreCreateParams | LocalKeyValueStoreCreateParams) {
-    if (isActionCreateParams(params)) {
+    const defenderEnv = process.env.DEFENDER_ENV;
+    if (defenderEnv === 'DEFENDER_ACTION_ENVIRONMENT') {
+      if (!isActionCreateParams(params)) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid create params for KeyValueStoreClient');
+      }
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
       const { KeyValueStoreActionClient } = require('./action');
       this.implementation = new KeyValueStoreActionClient(params);