diff --git a/sources/Cargo.lock b/sources/Cargo.lock
index ad107b7d5..ca19e7eed 100644
--- a/sources/Cargo.lock
+++ b/sources/Cargo.lock
@@ -3654,6 +3654,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "aws-smithy-runtime",
  "aws-smithy-types",
  "aws-types",
+ "base64 0.22.1",
  "bottlerocket-modeled-types",
  "bottlerocket-settings-models",
  "bytes",
@@ -3671,6 +3672,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "snafu",
+ "tempfile",
  "tokio",
  "tokio-retry",
  "tokio-rustls 0.24.1",
diff --git a/sources/api/pluto/Cargo.toml b/sources/api/pluto/Cargo.toml
index b62e2d516..0f5d6e839 100644
--- a/sources/api/pluto/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sources/api/pluto/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ fips = ["aws-lc-rs/fips", "aws-smithy-experimental/crypto-aws-lc-fips", "rustls/
 source-groups = ["aws-smithy-experimental"]
 
 [dependencies]
+base64.workspace = true
 bottlerocket-modeled-types.workspace = true
 bottlerocket-settings-models.workspace = true
 bytes.workspace = true
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ rustls.workspace = true
 serde = { workspace = true, features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json.workspace = true
 snafu.workspace = true
+tempfile.workspace = true
 tokio = { workspace = true, features = ["macros", "rt-multi-thread"] }
 tokio-retry.workspace = true
 tokio-rustls.workspace = true
diff --git a/sources/api/pluto/src/main.rs b/sources/api/pluto/src/main.rs
index 3ca79a56d..c0388e878 100644
--- a/sources/api/pluto/src/main.rs
+++ b/sources/api/pluto/src/main.rs
@@ -39,15 +39,17 @@ mod hyper_proxy;
 mod proxy;
 
 use api::{settings_view_get, settings_view_set, SettingsViewDelta};
+use base64::Engine;
 use bottlerocket_modeled_types::{KubernetesClusterDnsIp, KubernetesHostnameOverrideSource};
 use imdsclient::ImdsClient;
 use snafu::{ensure, OptionExt, ResultExt};
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader};
+use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Write};
 use std::net::IpAddr;
-use std::process;
+use std::path::Path;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::string::String;
+use std::{env, process};
 
 // This is the default DNS unless our CIDR block begins with "10."
 const DEFAULT_DNS_CLUSTER_IP: &str = "10.100.0.10";
@@ -56,6 +58,12 @@ const DEFAULT_10_RANGE_DNS_CLUSTER_IP: &str = "172.20.0.10";
 
 const ENI_MAX_PODS_PATH: &str = "/usr/share/eks/eni-max-pods";
 
+/// The name of the AWS config file used by pluto. The file is placed in a tempdir, and
+/// the contents of settings.aws.config are decoded and written here.
+const AWS_CONFIG_FILE: &str = "config.pluto";
+/// The environment variable that specifies the path to the AWS config file.
+const AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR: &str = "AWS_CONFIG_FILE";
+
 mod error {
     use crate::{api, ec2, eks};
     use snafu::Snafu;
@@ -73,6 +81,9 @@ mod error {
         #[snafu(display("Missing AWS region"))]
         AwsRegion,
 
+        #[snafu(display("Unable to decode base64 in of AWS config: {}", source))]
+        AwsBase64Decode { source: base64::DecodeError },
+
         #[snafu(display("Failed to parse setting {} as u32: {}", setting, source))]
         ParseToU32 {
             setting: String,
@@ -130,6 +141,21 @@ mod error {
             instance_type
         ))]
         NoInstanceTypeMaxPods { instance_type: String },
+
+        #[snafu(display("Unable to create AWS config file '{}': {}", filepath, source))]
+        CreateAwsConfigFile {
+            filepath: String,
+            source: std::io::Error,
+        },
+
+        #[snafu(display("Unable to write AWS config file to '{}': {}", filepath, source))]
+        WriteAwsConfigFile {
+            filepath: String,
+            source: std::io::Error,
+        },
+
+        #[snafu(display("Unable to create tempdir: {}", source))]
+        Tempdir { source: std::io::Error },
     }
 }
 
@@ -424,6 +450,31 @@ async fn generate_node_name(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Temporarily copy the yet-to-be-committed settings.aws.config value to a file
+/// and set the environment variable AWS_CONFIG_FILE to this file's location.
+/// This ensures that subsequent calls via pluto to the AWS SDK will respect settings.aws.config.
+fn set_aws_config(aws_k8s_info: &SettingsViewDelta, filepath: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    if let Some(config_contents) = settings_view_get!(aws_k8s_info.aws.config) {
+        // Decode settings.aws.config.
+        let decoded_bytes = base64::engine::general_purpose::STANDARD
+            .decode(config_contents.as_bytes())
+            .context(error::AwsBase64DecodeSnafu)?;
+
+        // Write the decoded bytes to the provided filepath.
+        let mut file = File::create(filepath).context(error::CreateAwsConfigFileSnafu {
+            filepath: filepath.to_str().unwrap(),
+        })?;
+        file.write_all(&decoded_bytes)
+            .context(error::WriteAwsConfigFileSnafu {
+                filepath: filepath.to_str().unwrap(),
+            })?;
+
+        env::set_var(AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR, filepath);
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 async fn run() -> Result<()> {
     let mut client = ImdsClient::new();
     let current_settings = api::get_aws_k8s_info().await.context(error::AwsInfoSnafu)?;
@@ -431,6 +482,10 @@ async fn run() -> Result<()> {
 
     let _ = rustls::crypto::aws_lc_rs::default_provider().install_default();
 
+    let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().context(error::TempdirSnafu)?;
+    let aws_config_file_path = temp_dir.path().join(AWS_CONFIG_FILE);
+    set_aws_config(&aws_k8s_info, Path::new(&aws_config_file_path))?;
+
     generate_cluster_dns_ip(&mut client, &mut aws_k8s_info).await?;
     generate_node_ip(&mut client, &mut aws_k8s_info).await?;
     generate_max_pods(&mut client, &mut aws_k8s_info).await?;
@@ -471,6 +526,7 @@ mod test {
     use super::*;
     use crate::api::SettingsViewDelta;
     use api::SettingsView;
+    use bottlerocket_modeled_types::ValidBase64;
     use bottlerocket_settings_models::AwsSettingsV1;
     use httptest::{matchers::*, responders::*, Expectation, Server};
 
@@ -489,6 +545,58 @@ mod test {
         assert!(result.is_err());
     }
 
+    // Because of test parallelization, serialize the AWS config tests such that
+    // the AWS_CONFIG_FILE env variable is deterministically set or unset.
+    #[test]
+    fn test_aws_config_sequential() {
+        test_set_aws_config();
+        test_set_aws_config_is_not_set();
+    }
+
+    fn test_set_aws_config() {
+        let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let temp_file_path = temp_dir.path().join("config.fake");
+
+        // base64 encoded string:
+        // [default]
+        // use_fips_endpoint=false
+        let config_base64 =
+            ValidBase64::try_from("W2RlZmF1bHRdCnVzZV9maXBzX2VuZHBvaW50PWZhbHNl").unwrap();
+        let input = SettingsViewDelta::from_api_response(SettingsView {
+            aws: Some(AwsSettingsV1 {
+                config: Some(config_base64),
+                ..Default::default()
+            }),
+            ..Default::default()
+        });
+        let result = set_aws_config(&input, &temp_file_path);
+
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+        assert!(env::var(AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR).is_ok());
+        assert_eq!(
+            env::var(AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR).unwrap(),
+            temp_file_path.to_str().unwrap()
+        );
+
+        // Remove the env variable such that it's no longer set.
+        env::remove_var(AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR);
+    }
+
+    fn test_set_aws_config_is_not_set() {
+        let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let temp_file_path = temp_dir.path().join("config.fake");
+
+        let input = SettingsViewDelta::from_api_response(SettingsView {
+            aws: Some(AwsSettingsV1 {
+                ..Default::default()
+            }),
+            ..Default::default()
+        });
+        let result = set_aws_config(&input, &temp_file_path);
+        assert!(result.is_ok());
+        assert!(env::var(AWS_CONFIG_FILE_ENV_VAR).is_err()); // NotPresent
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_hostname_override_source() {
         let server = Server::run();
diff --git a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/helpers/mod.rs b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/helpers/mod.rs
index 6d1023817..8ad0e47cf 100644
--- a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/helpers/mod.rs
+++ b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/helpers/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // be registered with the Handlebars library to assist in manipulating
 // text at render time.
 
+use base64::Engine;
 use bottlerocket_modeled_types::{OciDefaultsCapability, OciDefaultsResourceLimitType};
 use cidr::AnyIpCidr;
 use dns_lookup::lookup_host;
@@ -535,6 +536,81 @@ pub fn tuf_prefix(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// The `aws-config` helper is used to create an AWS config file
+/// with `use_fips_endpoint` value set based on if the variant is FIPS enabled.
+///
+/// # Fallback
+///
+/// If this helper runs and `settings.aws.config` is set or `settings.aws.config`
+/// is set to a profile other than "default" the helper will return early, leaving the
+/// existing `settings.aws.config` setting in place.
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// The AWS config value is generated via
+/// `{{ aws-config settings.aws.config settings.aws.profile }}`
+///
+/// This would result in something like:
+/// ```toml
+/// [default]
+/// use_fips_endpoint=false
+/// ```
+///
+/// The helper will then base64 encode this content and set as `settings.aws.config`.
+pub fn aws_config(
+    helper: &Helper<'_, '_>,
+    _: &Handlebars,
+    _: &Context,
+    renderctx: &mut RenderContext<'_, '_>,
+    out: &mut dyn Output,
+) -> Result<(), RenderError> {
+    trace!("Starting aws-config helper");
+    let template_name = template_name(renderctx);
+
+    check_param_count(helper, template_name, 2)?;
+
+    let aws_config = get_param(helper, 0)?;
+    if !aws_config.is_null() {
+        trace!("settings.aws.config already configured. Exiting aws-config helper early");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    // settings.aws.profile may be null. If so, we'll use the "default" profile in constructing
+    // the AWS config.
+    let aws_profile = match get_param(helper, 1)? {
+        Value::Null => "default",
+        Value::String(s) => s,
+        _ => {
+            return Err(RenderError::from(
+                error::TemplateHelperError::InvalidTemplateValue {
+                    expected: "string",
+                    value: get_param(helper, 1)?.to_owned(),
+                    template: template_name.to_owned(),
+                },
+            ))
+        }
+    };
+
+    if aws_profile != "default" {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    // construct the base64 encoded AWS config
+    let aws_config_str = format!(
+        r#"[default]
+use_fips_endpoint={}"#,
+        fips_enabled()
+    );
+    let new_aws_config = base64::engine::general_purpose::STANDARD.encode(&aws_config_str);
+
+    out.write(&new_aws_config)
+        .with_context(|_| error::TemplateWriteSnafu {
+            template: template_name.to_owned(),
+        })?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Utility function to determine if a variant is in FIPS mode based
 /// on /proc/sys/crypto/fips_enabled.
 fn fips_enabled() -> bool {
@@ -1742,6 +1818,63 @@ mod test_tuf_repository {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test_aws_config_fips_endpoint {
+    use super::*;
+    use handlebars::RenderError;
+    use serde::Serialize;
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    // A thin wrapper around the handlebars render_template method that includes
+    // setup and registration of helpers
+    fn setup_and_render_template<T>(tmpl: &str, data: &T) -> Result<String, RenderError>
+    where
+        T: Serialize,
+    {
+        let mut aws_config_helper = Handlebars::new();
+        aws_config_helper.register_helper("aws-config", Box::new(aws_config));
+
+        aws_config_helper.render_template(tmpl, data)
+    }
+
+    const METADATA_TEMPLATE: &str = "{{ aws-config settings.aws.config settings.aws.profile }}";
+
+    // base64 encoded string:
+    // [default]
+    // use_fips_endpoint=false
+    const EXPECTED_CONFIG_DEFAULT: &str = "W2RlZmF1bHRdCnVzZV9maXBzX2VuZHBvaW50PWZhbHNl";
+
+    #[test]
+    fn config_default() {
+        let result = setup_and_render_template(
+            METADATA_TEMPLATE,
+            &json!({"settings": {"aws": {"profile": "default"}}}),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result, EXPECTED_CONFIG_DEFAULT);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn config_already_exists() {
+        let result = setup_and_render_template(
+            METADATA_TEMPLATE,
+            &json!({"settings": {"aws": {"profile": "default", "config": "abc"}}}),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result, "");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn config_non_default_profile() {
+        let result = setup_and_render_template(
+            METADATA_TEMPLATE,
+            &json!({"settings": {"aws": {"profile": "custom"}}}),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result, "");
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test_host {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v1.rs b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v1.rs
index 88c88b93f..4df99755c 100644
--- a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v1.rs
+++ b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v1.rs
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ pub fn build_template_registry() -> Result<handlebars::Handlebars<'static>> {
     template_registry.register_helper("join_node_taints", Box::new(helpers::join_node_taints));
     template_registry.register_helper("default", Box::new(helpers::default));
     template_registry.register_helper("ecr-prefix", Box::new(helpers::ecr_prefix));
+    template_registry.register_helper("aws-config", Box::new(helpers::aws_config));
     template_registry.register_helper("tuf-prefix", Box::new(helpers::tuf_prefix));
     template_registry.register_helper("metadata-prefix", Box::new(helpers::metadata_prefix));
     template_registry.register_helper("host", Box::new(helpers::host));
diff --git a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v2/import/helpers.rs b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v2/import/helpers.rs
index 0ce7e0b97..204232d86 100644
--- a/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v2/import/helpers.rs
+++ b/sources/api/schnauzer/src/v2/import/helpers.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ fn all_helpers() -> HashMap<ExtensionName, HashMap<HelperName, Box<dyn HelperDef
     hashmap! {
         "aws" => hashmap! {
             "ecr-prefix" => helper!(handlebars_helpers::ecr_prefix),
+            "aws-config" => helper!(handlebars_helpers::aws_config)
         },
 
         "ecs" => hashmap! {