diff --git a/stac_api/runtime/src/app.py b/stac_api/runtime/src/app.py
index 26b8667d..34cb2ef4 100644
--- a/stac_api/runtime/src/app.py
+++ b/stac_api/runtime/src/app.py
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@
 
 tiles_settings = TilesApiSettings()
 
-auth = VedaAuth(api_settings)
-
 api = VedaStacApi(
     app=FastAPI(
         title=f"{api_settings.project_name} STAC API",
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@
             "appName": "Cognito",
             "clientId": api_settings.client_id,
             "usePkceWithAuthorizationCodeGrant": True,
-        },
+        } if api_settings.client_id else {},
     ),
     title=f"{api_settings.project_name} STAC API",
     description=api_settings.project_description,
@@ -78,6 +76,7 @@
     )
 
 if api_settings.enable_transactions:
+    auth = VedaAuth(api_settings)
     # Require auth for all endpoints that create, modify or delete data.
     add_route_dependencies(
         app.router.routes,
diff --git a/stac_api/runtime/src/config.py b/stac_api/runtime/src/config.py
index 46ecfbcb..89f5d338 100644
--- a/stac_api/runtime/src/config.py
+++ b/stac_api/runtime/src/config.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class _ApiSettings(BaseSettings):
     pgstac_secret_arn: Optional[str]
     stage: Optional[str] = None
 
-    userpool_id: Optional[str] = Field(description="The Cognito Userpool used for authentication")
+    userpool_id: Optional[str] = Field("", description="The Cognito Userpool used for authentication")
     cognito_domain: Optional[AnyHttpUrl] = Field(
         description="The base url of the Cognito domain for authorization and token urls"
     )
diff --git a/stac_api/runtime/src/validation.py b/stac_api/runtime/src/validation.py
index ce292870..f38ee30c 100644
--- a/stac_api/runtime/src/validation.py
+++ b/stac_api/runtime/src/validation.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ async def dispatch(self, request: Request, call_next):
                     request.url.path,
                 ):
                     bulk_items = BulkItems(**request_data)
-                    for item_data in bulk_items.items.items.values():
+                    for item_data in bulk_items.items.values():
                         validate_dict(item_data, STACObjectType.ITEM)
             except STACValidationError as e:
                 return JSONResponse(