diff --git a/apis/core/v1alpha1/field_export.go b/apis/core/v1alpha1/field_export.go
index 3b8a050..df1e53e 100644
--- a/apis/core/v1alpha1/field_export.go
+++ b/apis/core/v1alpha1/field_export.go
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ type FieldExportTarget struct {
 	// Namespace is marked as optional, so we cannot compose `NamespacedName`
 	Namespace *string               `json:"namespace,omitempty"`
 	Kind      FieldExportOutputType `json:"kind"`
-	Key       *string               `json:"key,omitempty"`
+	// Key overrides the default value (`<namespace>.<FieldExport-resource-name>`) for the FieldExport target
+	Key *string `json:"key,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // FieldExportSpec defines the desired state of the FieldExport.
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/services.k8s.aws_fieldexports.yaml b/config/crd/bases/services.k8s.aws_fieldexports.yaml
index b04e05f..a435de8 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/services.k8s.aws_fieldexports.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/services.k8s.aws_fieldexports.yaml
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ spec:
                   the output path for a field export.
                 properties:
                   key:
+                    description: Key overrides the default value (`<namespace>.<FieldExport-resource-name>`)
+                      for the FieldExport target
                     type: string
                   kind:
                     description: FieldExportOutputType represents all types that can
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler.go b/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler.go
index 68c77b6..2c971c6 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func (r *fieldExportReconciler) writeToConfigMap(
 ) error {
 	// Construct the data key
 	key := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", desired.Namespace, desired.Name)
-	if desired.Spec.To.Key != nil {
+	if desired.Spec.To.Key != nil && strings.TrimSpace(*desired.Spec.To.Key) != "" {
 		key = *desired.Spec.To.Key
 	}
 
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ func (r *fieldExportReconciler) writeToSecret(
 ) error {
 	// Construct the data key
 	key := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", desired.Namespace, desired.Name)
-	if desired.Spec.To.Key != nil {
+	if desired.Spec.To.Key != nil && strings.TrimSpace(*desired.Spec.To.Key) != "" {
 		key = *desired.Spec.To.Key
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler_test.go b/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler_test.go
index d7ce419..d11d67f 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/field_export_reconciler_test.go
@@ -512,6 +512,36 @@ func TestSync_SetKeyNameExplicitly(t *testing.T) {
 	assertPatchedSecretWithKey(true, t, ctx, kc, "new-key")
 }
 
+func TestSync_SetKeyNameExplicitlyWithEmptyString(t *testing.T) {
+	// Setup
+	require := require.New(t)
+	// Mock resource creation
+	r, kc, apiReader := mockFieldExportReconciler()
+	descriptor, res, _ := mockDescriptorAndAWSResource()
+	manager := mockManager()
+	fieldExport := fieldExportWithKey(FieldExportNamespace, FieldExportName, ackv1alpha1.FieldExportOutputTypeSecret, "")
+	sourceResource, _, _ := mockSourceResource()
+	ctx := context.TODO()
+	statusWriter := &ctrlrtclientmock.StatusWriter{}
+
+	//Mock behavior setup
+	setupMockClientForFieldExport(kc, statusWriter, ctx, fieldExport)
+	setupMockApiReaderForFieldExport(apiReader, ctx, res)
+	setupMockManager(manager, ctx, res)
+	setupMockDescriptor(descriptor, res)
+	setupMockUnstructuredConverter()
+
+	// Call
+	latest, err := r.Sync(ctx, sourceResource, *fieldExport)
+
+	//Assertions
+	require.Nil(err)
+	require.NotNil(latest.Status)
+	require.Len(latest.Status.Conditions, 0)
+	assertPatchedConfigMap(false, t, ctx, kc)
+	assertPatchedSecret(true, t, ctx, kc)
+}
+
 // Assertions
 
 func assertPatchedConfigMap(expected bool, t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, kc *ctrlrtclientmock.Client) {