diff --git a/kafka-connect-redis/src/main/scala/com/datamountaineer/streamreactor/connect/redis/sink/writer/RedisWriter.scala b/kafka-connect-redis/src/main/scala/com/datamountaineer/streamreactor/connect/redis/sink/writer/RedisWriter.scala
index 13c20a769..913083c99 100755
--- a/kafka-connect-redis/src/main/scala/com/datamountaineer/streamreactor/connect/redis/sink/writer/RedisWriter.scala
+++ b/kafka-connect-redis/src/main/scala/com/datamountaineer/streamreactor/connect/redis/sink/writer/RedisWriter.scala
@@ -37,32 +37,35 @@ abstract class RedisWriter extends DbWriter with StrictLogging with ConverterUti
     val connection = sinkSettings.connectionInfo
 
     if (connection.isSslConnection) {
+        val keyStoreFilepath = connection.keyStoreFilepath match {
+          case Some(path) =>
+            if (!new File(path).exists) {
+              throw new FileNotFoundException(s"Keystore Certificate not found in: $path")
+            }
 
-        val keyStoreFilepath = connection.keyStoreFilepath.getOrElse("")
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStorePassword", connection.keyStorePassword.getOrElse(""))
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStore", path)
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStoreType", connection.keyStoreType.getOrElse("jceks"))
 
-        if (!new File(keyStoreFilepath).exists) {
-          throw new FileNotFoundException(s"Keystore Certificate not found in: $keyStoreFilepath")
+          case None =>
         }
 
-        val trustStoreFilepath = connection.trustStoreFilepath.getOrElse("")
+        connection.trustStoreFilepath match {
+          case Some(path) =>
+            if (!new File(path).exists) {
+              throw new FileNotFoundException(s"Truststore Certificate not found in: $path")
+            }
 
-        if (!new File(trustStoreFilepath).exists) {
-          throw new FileNotFoundException(s"Truststore Certificate not found in: $trustStoreFilepath")
-        }
-
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStorePassword", connection.keyStorePassword.getOrElse(""))
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStore", keyStoreFilepath)
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.keyStoreType", connection.keyStoreType.getOrElse("jceks"))
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword", connection.trustStorePassword.getOrElse(""))
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStore", path)
+            System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStoreType", connection.trustStoreType.getOrElse("jceks"))
 
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword", connection.trustStorePassword.getOrElse(""))
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStore", trustStoreFilepath)
-        System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStoreType", connection.trustStoreType.getOrElse("jceks"))
+          case None =>
+        }
     }
 
     jedis = new Jedis(connection.host, connection.port, connection.isSslConnection)
-
     connection.password.foreach(p => jedis.auth(p))
-
     //initialize error tracker
     initialize(sinkSettings.taskRetries, sinkSettings.errorPolicy)
   }