diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/io.py b/nipype/interfaces/io.py
index c9487ca5cd..5d50b339d3 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/io.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/io.py
@@ -123,6 +123,35 @@ def add_traits(base, names, trait_type=None):
     return base
 
 
+def _get_head_bucket(s3_resource, bucket_name):
+    """ Try to get the header info of a bucket, in order to 
+    check if it exists and its permissions
+    """
+
+    import botocore
+
+    # Try fetch the bucket with the name argument
+    try:
+        s3_resource.meta.client.head_bucket(Bucket=bucket_name)
+    except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as exc:
+        error_code = int(exc.response['Error']['Code'])
+        if error_code == 403:
+            err_msg = 'Access to bucket: %s is denied; check credentials'\
+                        % bucket_name
+            raise Exception(err_msg)
+        elif error_code == 404:
+            err_msg = 'Bucket: %s does not exist; check spelling and try '\
+                        'again' % bucket_name
+            raise Exception(err_msg)
+        else:
+            err_msg = 'Unable to connect to bucket: %s. Error message:\n%s'\
+                        % (bucket_name, exc)
+    except Exception as exc:
+        err_msg = 'Unable to connect to bucket: %s. Error message:\n%s'\
+                    % (bucket_name, exc)
+        raise Exception(err_msg)
+
+
 class IOBase(BaseInterface):
     def _run_interface(self, runtime):
         return runtime
@@ -536,43 +565,35 @@ def _fetch_bucket(self, bucket_name):
             session = boto3.session.Session(
                 aws_access_key_id=aws_access_key_id,
                 aws_secret_access_key=aws_secret_access_key)
-            s3_resource = session.resource('s3', use_ssl=True)
 
-        # Otherwise, connect anonymously
         else:
-            iflogger.info('Connecting to AWS: %s anonymously...', bucket_name)
+            iflogger.info('Connecting to S3 bucket: %s with IAM role...',
+                          bucket_name)
+
+            # Lean on AWS environment / IAM role authentication and authorization
             session = boto3.session.Session()
-            s3_resource = session.resource('s3', use_ssl=True)
-            s3_resource.meta.client.meta.events.register(
-                'choose-signer.s3.*', botocore.handlers.disable_signing)
 
-        # Explicitly declare a secure SSL connection for bucket object
-        bucket = s3_resource.Bucket(bucket_name)
+        s3_resource = session.resource('s3', use_ssl=True)
 
         # And try fetch the bucket with the name argument
         try:
-            s3_resource.meta.client.head_bucket(Bucket=bucket_name)
-        except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as exc:
-            error_code = int(exc.response['Error']['Code'])
-            if error_code == 403:
-                err_msg = 'Access to bucket: %s is denied; check credentials'\
-                          % bucket_name
-                raise Exception(err_msg)
-            elif error_code == 404:
-                err_msg = 'Bucket: %s does not exist; check spelling and try '\
-                          'again' % bucket_name
-                raise Exception(err_msg)
-            else:
-                err_msg = 'Unable to connect to bucket: %s. Error message:\n%s'\
-                          % (bucket_name, exc)
+            _get_head_bucket(s3_resource, bucket_name)
         except Exception as exc:
-            err_msg = 'Unable to connect to bucket: %s. Error message:\n%s'\
-                      % (bucket_name, exc)
-            raise Exception(err_msg)
+
+            # Try to connect anonymously
+            s3_resource.meta.client.meta.events.register(
+                'choose-signer.s3.*', botocore.handlers.disable_signing)
+
+            iflogger.info('Connecting to AWS: %s anonymously...', bucket_name)
+            _get_head_bucket(s3_resource, bucket_name)
+
+        # Explicitly declare a secure SSL connection for bucket object
+        bucket = s3_resource.Bucket(bucket_name)
 
         # Return the bucket
         return bucket
 
+
     # Send up to S3 method
     def _upload_to_s3(self, bucket, src, dst):
         '''
@@ -592,10 +613,8 @@ def _upload_to_s3(self, bucket, src, dst):
         s3_prefix = s3_str + bucket.name
 
         # Explicitly lower-case the "s3"
-        if dst.lower().startswith(s3_str):
-            dst_sp = dst.split('/')
-            dst_sp[0] = dst_sp[0].lower()
-            dst = '/'.join(dst_sp)
+        if dst[:len(s3_str)].lower() == s3_str:
+            dst = s3_str + dst[len(s3_str):]
 
         # If src is a directory, collect files (this assumes dst is a dir too)
         if os.path.isdir(src):