diff --git a/src/data/optimizely.js b/src/data/optimizely.js
index e9e6e7ba..2de7d7ca 100644
--- a/src/data/optimizely.js
+++ b/src/data/optimizely.js
@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ import {
 
 const OPTIMIZELY_SDK_KEY = process.env.OPTIMIZELY_FULL_STACK_SDK_KEY;
 
-const optimizely = createInstance({
-  sdkKey: OPTIMIZELY_SDK_KEY,
-});
+const getOptimizelyInstance = () => {
+  if (OPTIMIZELY_SDK_KEY) {
+    return createInstance({
+      sdkKey: OPTIMIZELY_SDK_KEY,
+    });
+  }
 
-export default optimizely;
+  return null;
+};
+
+export default getOptimizelyInstance();
diff --git a/src/recommendations/optimizelyExperiment.js b/src/recommendations/optimizelyExperiment.js
index 8bb4e0e0..daa820b5 100644
--- a/src/recommendations/optimizelyExperiment.js
+++ b/src/recommendations/optimizelyExperiment.js
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ export const eventNames = {
   * Activate the post registration recommendations optimizely experiment
   * and return the true if the user is in variation else false.
   * @param  {String} userId  user id of authenticated user.
-  * @return {string} true if the user is in variation else false
+  * @return {string} variation the user belong in
 */
-const activateRecommendationsExperiment = (userId) => optimizelyInstance.activate(RECOMMENDATIONS_EXP_KEY, userId);
+const activateRecommendationsExperiment = (userId) => optimizelyInstance?.activate(RECOMMENDATIONS_EXP_KEY, userId);
 
 /**
   * Fire an optimizely track event for post registration recommended course card clicked.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const activateRecommendationsExperiment = (userId) => optimizelyInstance.activat
   * @param  {Object} userAttributes Dictionary of user attributes (optional).
 */
 const trackRecommendationCardClickOptimizely = (userId, userAttributes = {}) => {
-  optimizelyInstance.track(eventNames.recommendedCourseClicked, userId, userAttributes);
+  optimizelyInstance?.track(eventNames.recommendedCourseClicked, userId, userAttributes);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const trackRecommendationCardClickOptimizely = (userId, userAttributes = {}) =>
   * @param  {Object} userAttributes Dictionary of user attributes (optional).
 */
 const trackRecommendationViewedOptimizely = (userId, userAttributes = {}) => {
-  optimizelyInstance.track(eventNames.recommendationsViewed, userId, userAttributes);
+  optimizelyInstance?.track(eventNames.recommendationsViewed, userId, userAttributes);
 };
 
 export {