diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index aab8422f27..b8b6521ad5 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ class Config(object):
     AWS_SES_ACCESS_KEY = os.getenv("AWS_SES_ACCESS_KEY")
     AWS_SES_SECRET_KEY = os.getenv("AWS_SES_SECRET_KEY")
     AWS_PINPOINT_REGION = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_REGION", "us-west-2")
-    AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID", None)
-    AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID", None)
+    AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID", "")
+    AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID", "")
     AWS_PINPOINT_CONFIGURATION_SET_NAME = os.getenv("AWS_PINPOINT_CONFIGURATION_SET_NAME", "pinpoint-configuration")
     AWS_PINPOINT_SC_TEMPLATE_IDS = env.list("AWS_PINPOINT_SC_TEMPLATE_IDS", [])
     AWS_US_TOLL_FREE_NUMBER = os.getenv("AWS_US_TOLL_FREE_NUMBER")
diff --git a/app/delivery/send_to_providers.py b/app/delivery/send_to_providers.py
index 5f74f76033..5ef24c0769 100644
--- a/app/delivery/send_to_providers.py
+++ b/app/delivery/send_to_providers.py
@@ -379,10 +379,9 @@ def provider_to_use(
     do_not_use_pinpoint = (
         has_dedicated_number
         or sending_to_us_number
-        or current_app.config["AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID"] is None
-        or (current_app.config["AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID"] is None and not using_sc_pool_template)
+        or not current_app.config["AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID"]
+        or ((not current_app.config["AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID"]) and not using_sc_pool_template)
     )
-
     if do_not_use_pinpoint:
         active_providers_in_order = [
             p
diff --git a/tests/app/delivery/test_send_to_providers.py b/tests/app/delivery/test_send_to_providers.py
index 6b7dbf2210..0768d98cc9 100644
--- a/tests/app/delivery/test_send_to_providers.py
+++ b/tests/app/delivery/test_send_to_providers.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def test_should_use_sns_for_sms_by_default_if_partially_configured(self, restore
             notify_api,
             {
                 "AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID": "sc_pool_id",
-                "AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID": None,
+                "AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID": "",
                 "AWS_PINPOINT_SC_TEMPLATE_IDS": [],
             },
         ):
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def test_should_use_pinpoint_for_sms_for_sc_template_if_sc_pool_configured(self,
             notify_api,
             {
                 "AWS_PINPOINT_SC_POOL_ID": "sc_pool_id",
-                "AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID": None,
+                "AWS_PINPOINT_DEFAULT_POOL_ID": "",
                 "AWS_PINPOINT_SC_TEMPLATE_IDS": [str(sc_template)],
             },
         ):
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def test_should_use_sns_for_sms_if_sending_to_the_US(self, restore_provider_deta
             provider = send_to_providers.provider_to_use("sms", "1234", "+17065551234")
         assert provider.name == "sns"
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("sc_pool_id, default_pool_id", [(None, "default_pool_id"), ("sc_pool_id", None)])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("sc_pool_id, default_pool_id", [("", "default_pool_id"), ("sc_pool_id", "")])
     def test_should_use_sns_if_pinpoint_not_configured(self, restore_provider_details, notify_api, sc_pool_id, default_pool_id):
         with set_config_values(
             notify_api,