diff --git a/src/services/blob/aws-s3.ts b/src/services/blob/aws-s3.ts
index 715a6003..2971dada 100644
--- a/src/services/blob/aws-s3.ts
+++ b/src/services/blob/aws-s3.ts
@@ -18,16 +18,10 @@ const S3_ADMIN_ACCESS_KEY =
 const S3_ADMIN_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY =
   process.env.S3_ADMIN_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY;
 
-export const HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE =
-  S3_BUCKET.length > 0 &&
-  S3_REGION.length > 0 &&
-  S3_UPLOAD_ACCESS_KEY.length > 0 &&
-  S3_UPLOAD_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY.length > 0;
-
 const client = () => new S3Client({
   region: S3_REGION,
   credentials: {
-    // Fall back on upload credentials if admin credentials are not available
+    // Fall back on upload credentials when admin credentials aren't available
     accessKeyId: S3_ADMIN_ACCESS_KEY ?? S3_UPLOAD_ACCESS_KEY,
     secretAccessKey: S3_ADMIN_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY ?? S3_UPLOAD_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY,
   },
diff --git a/src/services/blob/index.ts b/src/services/blob/index.ts
index f6849731..42e4f8d5 100644
--- a/src/services/blob/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/blob/index.ts
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ import {
 } from './vercel-blob';
 import {
   AWS_S3_BASE_URL,
-  HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE,
   awsS3Copy,
   awsS3Delete,
   awsS3List,
   awsS3UploadFromClient,
   isUrlFromAwsS3,
 } from './aws-s3';
+import { HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE_CLIENT, HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE } from '@/site/config';
 
 const PREFIX_UPLOAD = 'upload';
 const PREFIX_PHOTO = 'photo';
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const getFileNameFromBlobUrl = (url: string) =>
 export const uploadPhotoFromClient = async (
   file: File | Blob,
   extension = 'jpg',
-) => HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE
+) => HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE_CLIENT
   ? awsS3UploadFromClient(file, PREFIX_UPLOAD, extension, true)
   : vercelBlobUploadFromClient(file, `${PREFIX_UPLOAD}.${extension}`);
 
@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@ export const convertUploadToPhoto = async (
   const fileExtension = getExtensionFromBlobUrl(uploadUrl);
   const photoUrl = `${fileName}.${fileExtension ?? 'jpg'}`;
 
-  const url = await (HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE
+  const useAwsS3 = HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE && isUrlFromAwsS3(uploadUrl);
+
+  const url = await (useAwsS3
     ? awsS3Copy(uploadUrl, photoUrl, photoId === undefined)
     : vercelBlobCopy(uploadUrl, photoUrl, photoId === undefined));
 
   if (url) {
-    await (HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE
+    await (useAwsS3
       ? awsS3Delete(getFileNameFromBlobUrl(uploadUrl))
       : vercelBlobDelete(uploadUrl));
   }
diff --git a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
index 0832e998..52520acf 100644
--- a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
+++ b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useTransition } from 'react';
+import { ComponentProps, ReactNode, useTransition } from 'react';
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
 import { cc } from '@/utility/css';
 import ChecklistRow from '../components/ChecklistRow';
@@ -18,10 +18,13 @@ import InfoBlock from '@/components/InfoBlock';
 import Checklist from '@/components/Checklist';
 import { toastSuccess } from '@/toast';
 import { ConfigChecklistStatus } from './config';
+import StatusIcon from '@/components/StatusIcon';
 
 export default function SiteChecklistClient({
   hasPostgres,
   hasBlob,
+  hasVercelBlob,
+  hasAwsS3Storage,
   hasAuth,
   hasAdminUser,
   hasTitle,
@@ -102,6 +105,17 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
       {variables.map(renderEnvVar)}
     </div>;
 
+  const renderSubStatus = (
+    type: ComponentProps<typeof StatusIcon>['type'],
+    label: ReactNode,
+  ) =>
+    <div className="flex gap-1.5">
+      <StatusIcon {...{ type }} />
+      <span>
+        {label}
+      </span>
+    </div>;
+
   return (
     <div className="text-sm max-w-xl space-y-6 w-full">
       <Checklist
@@ -125,8 +139,9 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
           status={hasBlob}
           isPending={isPendingPage}
         >
-          <ol className="list-decimal list-inside">
-            <li>
+          {renderSubStatus(
+            hasVercelBlob ? 'checked' : 'optional',
+            <>
               Vercel Blob:
               {' '}
               {renderLink(
@@ -135,16 +150,19 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
               )}
               {' '} 
               and connect to project
-            </li>
-            <li>
+            </>,
+          )}
+          {renderSubStatus(
+            hasAwsS3Storage ? 'checked' : 'optional',
+            <>
               AWS S3:
               {' '}
               {renderLink(
                 'https://github.com/sambecker/exif-photo-blog#aws-s3',
                 'create/configure bucket',
               )}
-            </li>
-          </ol>
+            </>
+          )}
         </ChecklistRow>
       </Checklist>
       <Checklist
diff --git a/src/site/config.ts b/src/site/config.ts
index cb3c36fa..a1f510c7 100644
--- a/src/site/config.ts
+++ b/src/site/config.ts
@@ -30,14 +30,19 @@ export const BASE_URL = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'
   ? makeUrlAbsolute(SITE_DOMAIN).toLowerCase()
   : 'http://localhost:3000';
 
-// STORAGE
+// STORAGE: VERCEL BLOB
+export const HAS_VERCEL_BLOB =
+  (process.env.BLOB_READ_WRITE_TOKEN ?? '').length > 0;
 
-const hasVercelBlob = (process.env.BLOB_READ_WRITE_TOKEN ?? '').length > 0;
-const hasAwsS3Storage =
+// STORAGE: AWS S3
+// Includes separate check for client-side usage, i.e., uploading,
+export const HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE_CLIENT =
   (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_S3_BUCKET ?? '').length > 0 &&
   (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_S3_REGION ?? '').length > 0 &&
   (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_S3_UPLOAD_ACCESS_KEY ?? '').length > 0 &&
-  (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_S3_UPLOAD_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY ?? '').length > 0 &&
+  (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_S3_UPLOAD_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY ?? '').length > 0;
+export const HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE =
+  HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE_CLIENT &&
   (process.env.S3_ADMIN_ACCESS_KEY ?? '').length > 0 &&
   (process.env.S3_ADMIN_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY ?? '').length > 0;
   
@@ -54,7 +59,9 @@ export const OG_TEXT_BOTTOM_ALIGNMENT =
 
 export const CONFIG_CHECKLIST_STATUS = {
   hasPostgres: (process.env.POSTGRES_HOST ?? '').length > 0,
-  hasBlob: hasVercelBlob || hasAwsS3Storage,
+  hasBlob: HAS_VERCEL_BLOB || HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE,
+  hasVercelBlob: HAS_VERCEL_BLOB,
+  hasAwsS3Storage: HAS_AWS_S3_STORAGE,
   hasAuth: (process.env.AUTH_SECRET ?? '').length > 0,
   hasAdminUser: (
     (process.env.ADMIN_EMAIL ?? '').length > 0 &&