diff --git a/command/sync.go b/command/sync.go
index 6dede5a66..22a274586 100644
--- a/command/sync.go
+++ b/command/sync.go
@@ -301,12 +301,22 @@ func compareObjects(sourceObjects, destObjects chan *storage.Object, isSrcBatch
 // given URLs. The returned channels gives objects sorted in ascending order
 // with respect to their url.Relative path. See also storage.Less.
 func (s Sync) getSourceAndDestinationObjects(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, srcurl, dsturl *url.URL) (chan *storage.Object, chan *storage.Object, error) {
-	sourceClient, err := storage.NewClient(ctx, srcurl, s.storageOpts)
+	// Create source client with source region
+	srcOpts := s.storageOpts
+	if s.srcRegion != "" {
+		srcOpts.SetRegion(s.srcRegion)
+	}
+	sourceClient, err := storage.NewClient(ctx, srcurl, srcOpts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	destClient, err := storage.NewClient(ctx, dsturl, s.storageOpts)
+	// Create destination client with destination region
+	dstOpts := s.storageOpts
+	if s.dstRegion != "" {
+		dstOpts.SetRegion(s.dstRegion)
+	}
+	destClient, err := storage.NewClient(ctx, dsturl, dstOpts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/storage/s3.go b/storage/s3.go
index 3313be66e..ff49998ff 100644
--- a/storage/s3.go
+++ b/storage/s3.go
@@ -1334,20 +1334,18 @@ func (sc *SessionCache) clear() {
 }
 
 func setSessionRegion(ctx context.Context, sess *session.Session, bucket string) error {
-	region := aws.StringValue(sess.Config.Region)
-
-	if region != "" {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	// set default region
-	sess.Config.Region = aws.String(endpoints.UsEast1RegionID)
-
+	// If no bucket specified, use default or configured region
 	if bucket == "" {
+		region := aws.StringValue(sess.Config.Region)
+		if region == "" {
+			// set default region for bucket-less operations
+			sess.Config.Region = aws.String(endpoints.UsEast1RegionID)
+		}
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// auto-detection
+	// Always auto-detect bucket region when bucket is specified
+	// This makes behavior consistent with AWS CLI
 	region, err := s3manager.GetBucketRegion(ctx, sess, bucket, "", func(r *request.Request) {
 		// s3manager.GetBucketRegion uses Path style addressing and
 		// AnonymousCredentials by default, updating Request's Config to match
@@ -1364,6 +1362,12 @@ func setSessionRegion(ctx context.Context, sess *session.Session, bucket string)
 		err = fmt.Errorf("session: fetching region failed: %v", err)
 		msg := log.ErrorMessage{Err: err.Error()}
 		log.Error(msg)
+
+		// Fall back to configured region if auto-detection fails
+		configuredRegion := aws.StringValue(sess.Config.Region)
+		if configuredRegion == "" {
+			sess.Config.Region = aws.String(endpoints.UsEast1RegionID)
+		}
 	} else {
 		sess.Config.Region = aws.String(region)
 	}