diff --git a/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/src/opentelemetry/sdk/extension/aws/resource/ecs.py b/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/src/opentelemetry/sdk/extension/aws/resource/ecs.py
index b780633b69..07d4553350 100644
--- a/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/src/opentelemetry/sdk/extension/aws/resource/ecs.py
+++ b/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/src/opentelemetry/sdk/extension/aws/resource/ecs.py
@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ def detect(self) -> "Resource":
             if not os.environ.get(
                 "ECS_CONTAINER_METADATA_URI"
             ) and not os.environ.get("ECS_CONTAINER_METADATA_URI_V4"):
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    "Missing ECS_CONTAINER_METADATA_URI therefore process is not on ECS."
-                )
+                return Resource.get_empty()
 
             container_id = ""
             try:
diff --git a/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/tests/resource/test_ecs.py b/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/tests/resource/test_ecs.py
index 4f892cc1bb..b116ae8229 100644
--- a/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/tests/resource/test_ecs.py
+++ b/sdk-extension/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws/tests/resource/test_ecs.py
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ def _http_get_function_fargate(url: str, *args, **kwargs) -> str:
 
 
 class AwsEcsResourceDetectorTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {}, clear=True)
+    def test_not_on_ecs(self):
+        actual = AwsEcsResourceDetector().detect()
+        self.assertDictEqual(actual.attributes.copy(), {})
+
     @patch.dict(
         "os.environ",
         {"ECS_CONTAINER_METADATA_URI": "mock-uri"},