diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/623-aws_ssm-envars.yml b/changelogs/fragments/623-aws_ssm-envars.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a310fa1e990
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/623-aws_ssm-envars.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+minor_changes:
+- aws_ssm: Add support for ``endpoint`` parameter (https://github.com/ansible-collections/amazon.aws/pull/623).
+
+bugfixes:
+- aws_ssm: Fix environment variables for client configuration (e.g., AWS_PROFILE, AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID) (https://github.com/ansible-collections/amazon.aws/pull/623).
diff --git a/plugins/lookup/aws_ssm.py b/plugins/lookup/aws_ssm.py
index 997bfb36227..d533702decb 100644
--- a/plugins/lookup/aws_ssm.py
+++ b/plugins/lookup/aws_ssm.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
     choices: ['error', 'skip', 'warn']
     version_added: 2.0.0
   endpoint:
-    description: Use a custom endpoint when connecting to SSM service
+    description: Use a custom endpoint when connecting to SSM service.
     type: string
     version_added: 3.4.0
 extends_documentation_fragment:
@@ -211,15 +211,7 @@ def run(self, terms, variables=None, boto_profile=None, aws_profile=None,
             endpoint=cli_endpoint,
         ))
 
-        try:
-            client = boto3_conn(module=self, **cli_boto_params)
-        except (
-            botocore.exceptions.ProfileNotFound,
-            botocore.exceptions.PartialCredentialsError,
-            botocore.exceptions.ClientError,
-            botocore.exceptions.ParamValidationError,
-        ):
-            raise AnsibleError("Insufficient credentials found.")
+        client = boto3_conn(module=self, **cli_boto_params)
 
         ssm_dict['WithDecryption'] = decrypt
 
@@ -274,9 +266,6 @@ def get_path_parameters(self, client, ssm_dict, term, on_missing, on_denied):
 
         return paramlist
 
-    def fail_json(self, msg, **kwargs):
-        raise AnsibleError(msg)
-
     def get_parameter_value(self, client, ssm_dict, term, on_missing, on_denied):
         ssm_dict["Name"] = term
         try:
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/lookup/test_aws_ssm.py b/tests/unit/plugins/lookup/test_aws_ssm.py
index 5bbd11a6aed..b224740a693 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/lookup/test_aws_ssm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/lookup/test_aws_ssm.py
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@
 
 # Make coding more python3-ish
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
-from unittest.mock import ANY
+
 __metaclass__ = type
 
 import pytest
+from unittest.mock import ANY
 from copy import copy
 
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError