diff --git a/bin/node-lambda b/bin/node-lambda
index 2e890618..7b8aed8b 100755
--- a/bin/node-lambda
+++ b/bin/node-lambda
@@ -31,12 +31,18 @@ var AWS_PUBLISH = process.env.AWS_PUBLISH || false;
 var AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION = process.env.AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION || '';
 var AWS_VPC_SUBNETS = process.env.AWS_VPC_SUBNETS || '';
 var AWS_VPC_SECURITY_GROUPS = process.env.AWS_VPC_SECURITY_GROUPS || '';
-var AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN = process.env.AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN || '';
 var EVENT_FILE = process.env.EVENT_FILE || 'event.json';
 var PACKAGE_DIRECTORY = process.env.PACKAGE_DIRECTORY;
 var CONTEXT_FILE = process.env.CONTEXT_FILE || 'context.json';
 var PREBUILT_DIRECTORY = process.env.PREBUILT_DIRECTORY || '';
 var DEPLOY_ZIPFILE = process.env.DEPLOY_ZIPFILE || '';
+var AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN = (function() {
+  // You can clear the setting by passing an empty string
+  // when executing updateFunctionConfiguration
+  if (process.env.AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN !== undefined)
+    return process.env.AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN
+  return undefined;
+})();
 
 program
   .command('deploy')
diff --git a/lib/.env.example b/lib/.env.example
index 5165a68c..65305a4f 100644
--- a/lib/.env.example
+++ b/lib/.env.example
@@ -13,6 +13,5 @@ AWS_DESCRIPTION=
 AWS_RUNTIME=nodejs6.10
 AWS_VPC_SUBNETS=
 AWS_VPC_SECURITY_GROUPS=
-AWS_DLQ_TARGET_ARN=
 EXCLUDE_GLOBS="event.json"
 PACKAGE_DIRECTORY=build
diff --git a/lib/main.js b/lib/main.js
index 5c70d275..21d99e3e 100644
--- a/lib/main.js
+++ b/lib/main.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ Lambda.prototype._params = function (program, buffer) {
       Variables: {}
     },
     DeadLetterConfig: {
-      TargetArn: ''
+      TargetArn: null
     }
   };
   if (program.lambdaVersion) {
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ Lambda.prototype._params = function (program, buffer) {
       Variables: config
     }
   }
-  if (program.deadLetterConfigTargetArn) {
+  if (program.deadLetterConfigTargetArn !== undefined) {
     params.DeadLetterConfig = {
       TargetArn: program.deadLetterConfigTargetArn
     };