diff --git a/prometrix/connect/aws_connect.py b/prometrix/connect/aws_connect.py
index 18839d0..951eeef 100644
--- a/prometrix/connect/aws_connect.py
+++ b/prometrix/connect/aws_connect.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 SA_TOKEN_PATH = os.environ.get("SA_TOKEN_PATH", "/var/run/secrets/eks.amazonaws.com/serviceaccount/token")
 AWS_ASSUME_ROLE = os.environ.get("AWS_ASSUME_ROLE")
-AWS_REFRESH_CREDS_SEC = int(os.environ.get("AWS_REFRESH_CREDS_SEC", "900")) # 15 minutes
 
 class AWSPrometheusConnect(CustomPrometheusConnect):
     def __init__(
@@ -32,43 +31,20 @@ def __init__(
         self.region = region
         self.service_name = service_name
 
-        self._initial_access_key = access_key
-        self._initial_secret_key = secret_key
-        self._initial_token = token
-        self._has_static_keys = bool(access_key and secret_key)
-        self._session = None
-        self._credentials = None
+        if access_key and secret_key:
+            # Backwards compatibility: use static keys
+            self._credentials = Credentials(access_key, secret_key, token)
+        else:
+            # IRSA
+            session = boto3.Session()
+            creds = session.get_credentials()
+            if not creds:
+                raise RuntimeError("No AWS credentials found (neither static keys nor IRSA)")
+            self._credentials = creds
 
         role_to_assume = assume_role_arn or AWS_ASSUME_ROLE
-        self._role_to_assume = role_to_assume
-
-        self._last_init_at = None
-
-        self.init_credentials()
-
-    def init_credentials(self) -> None:
-
-        try:
-            if self._has_static_keys:
-                self._credentials = Credentials(self._initial_access_key, self._initial_secret_key, self._initial_token)
-                self._session = None
-            else:
-                # IRSA
-                session = boto3.Session()
-                creds = session.get_credentials()
-                if not creds:
-                    raise RuntimeError("No AWS credentials found (neither static keys nor IRSA)")
-                self._credentials = creds
-                self._session = session
-
-            role_to_assume = self._role_to_assume
-            if role_to_assume:
-                self._assume_role(role_to_assume)
-
-            self._last_init_at = datetime.utcnow()
-        except Exception:
-            logging.exception("Failed to initialize credentials")
-            raise
+        if role_to_assume:
+            self._assume_role(role_to_assume)
 
     def _assume_role(self, role_arn: str) -> None:
         try:
@@ -99,12 +75,6 @@ def _assume_role(self, role_arn: str) -> None:
 
     def _build_auth(self) -> SigV4Auth:
         """Builds fresh SigV4 auth with current credentials (handles rotation)."""
-        try:
-            if self._last_init_at is None or (datetime.utcnow() - self._last_init_at).total_seconds() >= AWS_REFRESH_CREDS_SEC:
-                logging.debug("%d seconds passed; re-initializing AWS credentials", AWS_REFRESH_CREDS_SEC)
-                self.init_credentials()
-        except Exception:
-            logging.exception("Time-based credential refresh failed")
         frozen = self._credentials.get_frozen_credentials()
         return SigV4Auth(frozen, self.service_name, self.region)
 
@@ -123,28 +93,6 @@ def signed_request(
             params=params,
         )
 
-    def _request_with_refresh(self, *, method, url, data=None, params=None, headers=None, verify=False):
-        resp = self.signed_request(
-            method=method,
-            url=url,
-            data=data,
-            params=params,
-            verify=verify,
-            headers=headers,
-        )
-        if resp is not None and resp.status_code in (400, 401, 403):
-            logging.warning("Auth failure %s, re-initializing credentials", resp.status_code)
-            self.init_credentials()
-            resp = self.signed_request(
-                method=method,
-                url=url,
-                data=data,
-                params=params,
-                verify=verify,
-                headers=headers,
-            )
-        return resp
-
     def _custom_query(self, query: str, params: dict = None):
         """
         Send a custom query to a Prometheus Host.
@@ -165,7 +113,7 @@ def _custom_query(self, query: str, params: dict = None):
         data = None
         query = str(query)
         # using the query API to get raw data
-        response = self._request_with_refresh(
+        response = self.signed_request(
             method="POST",
             url="{0}/api/v1/query".format(self.url),
             data={**{"query": query}, **params},
@@ -204,7 +152,7 @@ def safe_custom_query_range(
         params = params or {}
 
         query = str(query)
-        response = self._request_with_refresh(
+        response = self.signed_request(
             method="POST",
             url="{0}/api/v1/query_range".format(self.url),
             data={
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7bc9882..a4183f4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "prometrix"
-version = "0.2.7"
+version = "0.2.8"
 authors = ["Avi Kotlicky <avi@robusta.dev>"]
 readme = "README.md"
 packages = [{include = "prometrix"}]