diff --git a/aws_helper.sh b/aws_helper.sh
index e814802..ff828e7 100755
--- a/aws_helper.sh
+++ b/aws_helper.sh
@@ -178,6 +178,102 @@ EOF
   $GREP "^\[" $CREDENTIALS |$CUT -d ']' -f 1 | $TR -d '['
 }
 
+function __extract_config_from_file() {
+ # Check for tools and get most compatible
+  local GREP=$(which ggrep  2>/dev/null || which grep 2>/dev/null)
+  if [ -z "$GREP" ]; then
+      __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: grep';
+      return 1
+  fi
+
+  local CUT=$(which cut 2>/dev/null)
+  if [ -z "$CUT" ]; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: cut';
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+local AWK=$(which gawk 2>/dev/null || which awk 2>/dev/null )
+  if [ -z "$AWK" ]; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: awk';
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+local HEAD=$(which ghead 2>/dev/null || which head 2>/dev/null )
+  if [ -z "$HEAD" ]; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: head';
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+local SED=$(which gsed 2>/dev/null || which sed 2>/dev/null )
+  if [ -z "$SED" ]; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: sed';
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+local XARGS=$(which gxargs 2>/dev/null || which xargs 2>/dev/null )
+  if [ -z "$XARGS" ]; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: xargs';
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+# Default Config File
+CREDENTIALS="$HOME/.aws/credentials"
+
+# Extract data from the config section
+__header="[${AWS_PROFILE}]"
+
+# Find the first line in the section
+local __start=$($GREP -nF -- "$__header" "$CREDENTIALS" | $CUT -d: -f1 | $HEAD -n1)
+if [ -z "$__start" ]; then
+ __aws_helper_log  "Section '$__header' not found" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# find the next section
+local __next=$($AWK -v s="$__start" 'NR>s && /^\[/{print NR; exit}' "$CREDENTIALS")
+
+if [ -z "$__next" ]; then
+  # no following section: extract output from from start+1 to EOF
+  local __output=$($SED -n "$((__start+1)),\$p" "$CREDENTIALS"| $SED -E 's/^[[:space:]]+//; s/[[:space:]]+$//; s/[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*/=/')
+else
+  # extract between the two line numbers
+  local __output=$($SED -n "$((__start+1)),$((__next-1))p" "$CREDENTIALS"| $SED -E 's/^[[:space:]]+//; s/[[:space:]]+$//; s/[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*/=/')
+fi
+
+#parse output into variables
+while IFS='=' read -r __key __value; do
+  # skip empty or comment lines
+  [[ -z "$__key" || "$__key" =~ ^[[:space:]]*# ]] && continue
+
+  # trim whitespace
+  __key=$(echo "$__key" | $XARGS)
+  __value=$(echo "$__value" | $XARGS)
+
+  # assign variable
+  printf -v "$__key" '%s' "$__value"
+done < <(echo "${__output}")
+
+# clean variables
+
+unset __discovered_aws_access_key_id
+unset __discovered_aws_secret_access_key
+unset __discovered_mfa_serial
+
+# if there are variables we need we can export them as new ones as to not clobber any other references
+if [[ -n $aws_access_key_id ]]; then
+ export  __discovered_aws_access_key_id=${aws_access_key_id}
+fi
+
+if [[ -n $aws_secret_access_key ]]; then
+ export  __discovered_aws_secret_access_key=${aws_secret_access_key}
+fi
+
+if [[ -n $mfa_serial ]]; then
+ export  __discovered_mfa_serial=${mfa_serial}
+fi
+
+}
+
 ##
 # Get list of aliases in ./aws-helper/config
 ##
@@ -462,8 +558,29 @@ EOF
     return 1;
   fi;
 
+# Try and extract useful information from existing credentials file
+__extract_config_from_file
+
+
   iam_user_name="$(echo ${AWS_ARN} | sed 's|[^/]*/||g')";
-  mfa_serial="arn:aws:iam::${AWS_ACCOUNT_ID}:mfa/${iam_user_name}";
+
+#If we've been told the serial use it
+  if [[ -n ${__discovered_mfa_serial} ]]; then
+    mfa_serial=${__discovered_mfa_serial}
+    else
+    # Try to query "iam list-mfa-devices" if it is permitted without MFA
+    mfa_serial="$(aws iam list-mfa-devices --query 'MFADevices[*].SerialNumber' --output text)";
+    if ! [ "${?}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    # this did not work - Fallback to old method
+    mfa_serial="arn:aws:iam::${AWS_ACCOUNT_ID}:mfa/${iam_user_name}";
+    fi
+  fi
+__aws_helper_log "Using mfa_serial : $mfa_serial"
+
+# Prevent Data leakage
+unset __discovered_aws_access_key_id
+unset __discovered_aws_secret_access_key
+unset __discovered_mfa_serial
 
   if [ -z "${mfa_token}" ]; then
     __aws_helper_log 'info' 'Enter MFA token: ' '-n';
@@ -523,11 +640,20 @@ EOF
 
   local expiry_epoch;
 
+  # Select best date tool , work around weaknesses in MacOS date command
+
+  local DATE=$(which gdate  2>/dev/null || which date 2>/dev/null)
+  if [ -z "$DATE" ]; then
+      __aws_helper_log 'error' 'Cannot locate tool: date';
+      return 1
+  fi
+
   # Workaround for OSX date
-  if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
-    expiry_epoch="$(date -j -f \"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ\" \"${AWS_MFA_EXPIRY}\" +%s)";
+  if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" -a "$DATE" == "/bin/date" ] ; then
+    __aws_helper_log 'Please Install the Gnu Date tool'
+    exit 1
   else
-    expiry_epoch="$(date -d ${AWS_MFA_EXPIRY} +%s)";
+    expiry_epoch="$($DATE -d ${AWS_MFA_EXPIRY} +%s)";
   fi
 
   local current_epoch="$(date -u +%s)";