diff --git a/aws-experiment-launch/utils/utils.py b/aws-experiment-launch/utils/utils.py
index ce10076dd..7a8c31ce5 100644
--- a/aws-experiment-launch/utils/utils.py
+++ b/aws-experiment-launch/utils/utils.py
@@ -32,11 +32,14 @@ def get_ip_list(response):
     else:
         return []
 
-def collect_public_ips(region_number, node_name_tag, region_config):
-    config = read_configuration_file(region_config)
+def create_ec2_client(region_number, region_config):
+    config = read_region_config(region_config)
     region_name = config[region_number][REGION_NAME]
     session = boto3.Session(region_name=region_name)
-    ec2_client = session.client('ec2')
+    return session.client('ec2')
+
+def collect_public_ips(region_number, node_name_tag, region_config):
+    ec2_client = create_ec2_client(region_number, region_config)
     filters = [{'Name': 'tag:Name','Values': [node_name_tag]}]
     response = ec2_client.describe_instances(Filters=filters)
     ip_list = []