diff --git a/modules/artifacts_bucket.tf b/modules/artifacts_bucket.tf
index ec68385af..5b342fa34 100755
--- a/modules/artifacts_bucket.tf
+++ b/modules/artifacts_bucket.tf
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+locals {
+  redbox_principal_policy = var.redbox_principal_policy == "" ? "${path.module}/fixtures/policies/redbox_principal_policy.tmpl" : var.redbox_principal_policy
+}
+
+
 # Configure an S3 Bucket to hold artifacts
 # (eg. application code deployments, etc.)
 resource "aws_s3_bucket" "artifacts" {
@@ -62,6 +67,6 @@ POLICY
 resource "aws_s3_bucket_object" "redbox_principal_policy" {
   bucket = aws_s3_bucket.artifacts.id
   key    = "fixtures/policies/redbox_principal_policy.tmpl"
-  source = var.redbox_principal_policy
-  etag   = "${filemd5(var.redbox_principal_policy)}"
+  source = local.redbox_principal_policy
+  etag   = "${filemd5(local.redbox_principal_policy)}"
 }
diff --git a/modules/variables.tf b/modules/variables.tf
index ed27e5978..e39067662 100755
--- a/modules/variables.tf
+++ b/modules/variables.tf
@@ -163,5 +163,5 @@ variable "budget_notification_threshold_percentiles" {
 variable "redbox_principal_policy" {
   type        = string
   description = "Location of file with the policy used for the RedBox Principal Account"
-  default     = "fixtures/policies/redbox_principal_policy.tmpl"
+  default     = ""
 }