diff --git a/lib/apiml.js b/lib/apiml.js
index 125d701a..f08c6a25 100644
--- a/lib/apiml.js
+++ b/lib/apiml.js
@@ -83,12 +83,12 @@ function ApimlConnector({ hostName, port, discoveryUrls,
   Object.assign(this, { hostName, port, discoveryUrls,
                         discoveryPort, tlsOptions, eurekaOverrides, isClientAttls });
   //TODO config should never be checked through env var, but is temporarily needed to temporarily read gateway's ATTLS state to provide it with Eureka info it can work with.
-  const clientGlobalAttls = process.env['ZWE_zowe_network_client_tls_attls'] == 'true';
-  const clientGatewayAttls = process.env['ZWE_components_gateway_zowe_network_client_tls_attls'] == 'true';
-  const clientAttls = clientGlobalAttls || clientGatewayAttls;
+  const clientGlobalAttls = process.env['ZWE_zowe_network_client_tls_attls'];
+  const clientGatewayAttls = process.env['ZWE_components_gateway_zowe_network_client_tls_attls'];
+  const clientAttls = (clientGlobalAttls == 'true') || (clientGatewayAttls == 'true');
   this.isGatewayClientAttls = false;
-  if ((clientGlobalAttls !== false) && (clientLocalAttls !== false) && (!clientAttls)) {
-    // If client attls not explicitly false OR truthy, have client follow server attls variable. it simplifies common case in which users want both.
+  if ((clientGlobalAttls === undefined) && (clientGatewayAttls === undefined)) {
+    // If client attls env vars are not set, have client follow server attls variable. it simplifies common case in which users want both.
     const serverGlobalAttls = process.env['ZWE_zowe_network_server_tls_attls'] == 'true';
     const serverGatewayAttls = process.env['ZWE_components_gateway_zowe_network_server_tls_attls'] == 'true';
     this.isGatewayClientAttls = serverGlobalAttls || serverGatewayAttls;