diff --git a/hSimpleDB.cabal b/hSimpleDB.cabal
--- a/hSimpleDB.cabal
+++ b/hSimpleDB.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                hSimpleDB
-version:             0.2
+version:             0.3
 synopsis:            Interface to Amazon's SimpleDB service.
 description:         Interface to Amazon's SimpleDB service.
 category:            Database, Web, Network
diff --git a/src/Network/AWS/AWSConnection.hs b/src/Network/AWS/AWSConnection.hs
--- a/src/Network/AWS/AWSConnection.hs
+++ b/src/Network/AWS/AWSConnection.hs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
    -- * Constants
    defaultAmazonSimpleDBHost, defaultAmazonSimpleDBPort,
    -- * Function Types
-   amazonSimpleDBConnection, amazonConnectionFromEnv,
+   amazonSimpleDBConnection, amazonConnectionFromEnv, amazonConnectionFromEnv',
    -- * Data Types
    AWSConnection(..)
    ) where
@@ -64,4 +64,15 @@
                   ( _, "",  _) -> Just (amazonSimpleDBConnection ak sk1)
                   ( _,  _,  _) -> Just (amazonSimpleDBConnection ak sk0)
     where getEnvKey s = catch (getEnv s) (const $ return "")
+
+-- | Retrieve Access and Secret keys from environment variables
+--   AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, respectively.
+--   Either variable being undefined or empty will result in
+--   an exception.
+amazonConnectionFromEnv' :: IO AWSConnection
+amazonConnectionFromEnv' =
+    do mbConn <- amazonConnectionFromEnv
+       case mbConn of
+         Nothing   -> error "Please define the AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET environment variables."
+         Just conn -> return conn