diff --git a/aws/credentials/credentials.go b/aws/credentials/credentials.go
index 42416fc2f0..ed086992f6 100644
--- a/aws/credentials/credentials.go
+++ b/aws/credentials/credentials.go
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ func (e *Expiry) IsExpired() bool {
 type Credentials struct {
 	creds        Value
 	forceRefresh bool
-	m            sync.Mutex
+
+	m sync.RWMutex
 
 	provider Provider
 }
@@ -201,6 +202,17 @@ func NewCredentials(provider Provider) *Credentials {
 // If Credentials.Expire() was called the credentials Value will be force
 // expired, and the next call to Get() will cause them to be refreshed.
 func (c *Credentials) Get() (Value, error) {
+	// Check the cached credentials first with just the read lock.
+	c.m.RLock()
+	if !c.isExpired() {
+		creds := c.creds
+		c.m.RUnlock()
+		return creds, nil
+	}
+	c.m.RUnlock()
+
+	// Credentials are expired need to retrieve the credentials taking the full
+	// lock.
 	c.m.Lock()
 	defer c.m.Unlock()
 
@@ -234,8 +246,8 @@ func (c *Credentials) Expire() {
 // If the Credentials were forced to be expired with Expire() this will
 // reflect that override.
 func (c *Credentials) IsExpired() bool {
-	c.m.Lock()
-	defer c.m.Unlock()
+	c.m.RLock()
+	defer c.m.RUnlock()
 
 	return c.isExpired()
 }
diff --git a/aws/credentials/credentials_bench_test.go b/aws/credentials/credentials_bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..01a5d633bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aws/credentials/credentials_bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// +build go1.9
+
+package credentials
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkCredentials_Get(b *testing.B) {
+	stub := &stubProvider{}
+
+	cases := []int{1, 10, 100, 500, 1000, 10000}
+
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		b.Run(strconv.Itoa(c), func(b *testing.B) {
+			creds := NewCredentials(stub)
+			var wg sync.WaitGroup
+			wg.Add(c)
+			for i := 0; i < c; i++ {
+				go func() {
+					for j := 0; j < b.N; j++ {
+						v, err := creds.Get()
+						if err != nil {
+							b.Fatalf("expect no error %v, %v", v, err)
+						}
+					}
+					wg.Done()
+				}()
+			}
+			b.ResetTimer()
+
+			wg.Wait()
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkCredentials_Get_Expire(b *testing.B) {
+	p := &blockProvider{}
+
+	expRates := []int{10000, 1000, 100}
+	cases := []int{1, 10, 100, 500, 1000, 10000}
+
+	for _, expRate := range expRates {
+		for _, c := range cases {
+			b.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%d", expRate, c), func(b *testing.B) {
+				creds := NewCredentials(p)
+				var wg sync.WaitGroup
+				wg.Add(c)
+				for i := 0; i < c; i++ {
+					go func(id int) {
+						for j := 0; j < b.N; j++ {
+							v, err := creds.Get()
+							if err != nil {
+								b.Fatalf("expect no error %v, %v", v, err)
+							}
+							// periodically expire creds to cause rwlock
+							if id == 0 && j%expRate == 0 {
+								creds.Expire()
+							}
+						}
+						wg.Done()
+					}(i)
+				}
+				b.ResetTimer()
+
+				wg.Wait()
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+type blockProvider struct {
+	creds   Value
+	expired bool
+	err     error
+}
+
+func (s *blockProvider) Retrieve() (Value, error) {
+	s.expired = false
+	s.creds.ProviderName = "blockProvider"
+	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	return s.creds, s.err
+}
+func (s *blockProvider) IsExpired() bool {
+	return s.expired
+}