diff --git a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.java b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.java
index 3bbc9d6..670915c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.java
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public Factory(PersonalizeClientSettings settings) {
         }
 
         @Override
-        public PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor create(Map<String, Processor.Factory<SearchResponseProcessor>> processorFactories, String tag, String description, boolean ignoreFailure, Map<String, Object> config, PipelineContext pipelineContext) throws Exception {
+        public PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor create(Map<String, Processor.Factory<SearchResponseProcessor>> processorFactories, String tag, String description, boolean ignoreFailure, Map<String, Object> config, PipelineContext pipelineContext) {
             String personalizeCampaign = ConfigurationUtils.readStringProperty(TYPE, tag, config, CAMPAIGN_ARN_CONFIG_NAME);
             String iamRoleArn = ConfigurationUtils.readOptionalStringProperty(TYPE, tag, config, IAM_ROLE_ARN_CONFIG_NAME);
             String recipe = ConfigurationUtils.readStringProperty(TYPE, tag, config, RECIPE_CONFIG_NAME);
@@ -165,9 +165,25 @@ public PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor create(Map<String, Processor.Factory<
             PersonalizeIntelligentRankerConfiguration rankerConfig =
                     new PersonalizeIntelligentRankerConfiguration(personalizeCampaign, iamRoleArn, recipe, itemIdField, awsRegion, weight);
             ValidationUtil.validatePersonalizeIntelligentRankerConfiguration(rankerConfig, TYPE, tag);
-            AWSCredentialsProvider credentialsProvider = PersonalizeCredentialsProviderFactory.getCredentialsProvider(personalizeClientSettings, iamRoleArn, awsRegion);
-            PersonalizeClient personalizeClient = clientBuilder.apply(credentialsProvider, awsRegion);
+
+            final PersonalizeClient personalizeClient;
+            switch (pipelineContext.getPipelineSource()) {
+                case SEARCH_REQUEST:
+                    throw new IllegalStateException(TYPE + " processor may not be instantiated as part of a search request. Create a named search pipeline instead.");
+                case UPDATE_PIPELINE:
+                    AWSCredentialsProvider credentialsProvider = PersonalizeCredentialsProviderFactory.getCredentialsProvider(personalizeClientSettings, iamRoleArn, awsRegion);
+                    personalizeClient = clientBuilder.apply(credentialsProvider, awsRegion);
+                    break;
+                case VALIDATE_PIPELINE:
+                default:
+                    personalizeClient = null; // Do not instantiate client on validation
+            }
             return new PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor(tag, description, ignoreFailure, rankerConfig, personalizeClient);
         }
     }
+
+    PersonalizeClient getPersonalizeClient() {
+        // Visible for testing
+        return personalizeClient;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessorTests.java b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessorTests.java
index 71cbfdf..7e7087b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessorTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/search/relevance/transformer/personalizeintelligentranking/PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessorTests.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import org.opensearch.env.TestEnvironment;
 import org.opensearch.search.SearchHit;
 import org.opensearch.search.SearchHits;
+import org.opensearch.search.pipeline.Processor;
 import org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.client.PersonalizeClient;
 import org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.client.PersonalizeClientSettings;
 import org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.requestparameter.PersonalizeRequestParameters;
@@ -26,30 +27,33 @@
 import org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.utils.SearchTestUtil;
 import org.opensearch.test.OpenSearchTestCase;
 
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.TYPE;
 import static org.opensearch.search.relevance.transformer.personalizeintelligentranking.configuration.Constants.AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME;
 
 public class PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessorTests extends OpenSearchTestCase {
 
-    private static final String TYPE = PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.TYPE;
-    private Settings settings = buildEnvSettings(Settings.EMPTY);
-    private Environment env = TestEnvironment.newEnvironment(settings);
-    private String personalizeCampaign = "arn:aws:personalize:us-west-2:000000000000:campaign/test-campaign";
-    private String iamRoleArn = "arn:aws:iam::000000000000:role/test";
-    private String itemIdField = "ITEM_ID";
-    private String region = "us-west-2";
-    private double weight = 1.0;
-    private int numHits = 10;
+    private static final Processor.PipelineContext UPDATE_CONTEXT = new Processor.PipelineContext(Processor.PipelineSource.UPDATE_PIPELINE);
+    private static final Processor.PipelineContext VALIDATE_CONTEXT = new Processor.PipelineContext(Processor.PipelineSource.VALIDATE_PIPELINE);
+    private final Settings settings = buildEnvSettings(Settings.EMPTY);
+    private final Environment env = TestEnvironment.newEnvironment(settings);
+    private static final String PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN = "arn:aws:personalize:us-west-2:000000000000:campaign/test-campaign";
+    private static final String IAM_ROLE_ARN = "arn:aws:iam::000000000000:role/test";
+    private static final String ITEM_ID_FIELD = "ITEM_ID";
+    private static final String REGION = "us-west-2";
+    private static final double WEIGHT = 1.0;
+    private static final int NUM_HITS = 10;
 
-    private PersonalizeClientSettings clientSettings = PersonalizeClientSettings.getClientSettings(env.settings());
+    private final PersonalizeClientSettings clientSettings = PersonalizeClientSettings.getClientSettings(env.settings());
 
     public void testCreateFactoryThrowsExceptionWithEmptyConfig() {
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.Factory factory
@@ -60,21 +64,21 @@ public void testCreateFactoryThrowsExceptionWithEmptyConfig() {
                 null,
                 false,
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
-                null
+                UPDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
 
-    public void testFactory() {
+    public void testFactoryValidations() {
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.Factory factory
                 = new PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor.Factory(this.clientSettings);
         // Test config without campaign
         Map<String, Object> configuration = new HashMap<>();
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
         configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
-        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(weight));
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
-        configuration.put("aws_region", region);
+        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(WEIGHT));
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
 
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () -> factory.create(
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
@@ -82,16 +86,16 @@ public void testFactory() {
                 null,
                 false,
                 configuration,
-                null
+                VALIDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         configuration.clear();
 
         // Test config without recipe
-        configuration.put("campaign_arn", personalizeCampaign);
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
-        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(weight));
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
-        configuration.put("aws_region", region);
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
+        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(WEIGHT));
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
 
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () -> factory.create(
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
@@ -99,59 +103,79 @@ public void testFactory() {
                 null,
                 false,
                 configuration,
-                null
+                VALIDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         configuration.clear();
 
         // Test config without region
-        configuration.put("campaign_arn", personalizeCampaign);
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
         configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
-        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(weight));
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
+        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(WEIGHT));
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () -> factory.create(
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
                 null,
                 null,
                 false,
                 configuration,
-                null
+                VALIDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         configuration.clear();
 
         // Test config without weight
-        configuration.put("campaign_arn", personalizeCampaign);
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
         configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
-        configuration.put("aws_region", region);
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () -> factory.create(
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
                 null,
                 null,
                 false,
                 configuration,
-                null
+                VALIDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         configuration.clear();
 
         // Test configuration with invalid weight value
-        configuration.put("campaign_arn", personalizeCampaign);
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
         configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
         configuration.put("weight", "invalid");
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
-        configuration.put("aws_region", region);
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () -> factory.create(
                 Collections.emptyMap(),
                 null,
                 null,
                 false,
                 configuration,
-                null
+                VALIDATE_CONTEXT
         ));
         configuration.clear();
-        IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
+
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
+        configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
+        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(WEIGHT));
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
+
+        // Test that we don't create client on validation
+        configuration.putAll(buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig());
+        PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor processor = factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), null, null, false, configuration, VALIDATE_CONTEXT);
+        assertNull(processor.getPersonalizeClient());
+
+        // Test that we fail on valid configuration in search request context
+        expectThrows(IllegalStateException.class, () -> factory.create(
+                Collections.emptyMap(),
+                null,
+                null,
+                false,
+                buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig(),
+                new Processor.PipelineContext(Processor.PipelineSource.SEARCH_REQUEST)));
     }
 
     public void testCreateFactoryWithAllPersonalizeConfig() throws Exception {
@@ -161,7 +185,7 @@ public void testCreateFactoryWithAllPersonalizeConfig() throws Exception {
         Map<String, Object> configuration = buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig();
 
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor personalizeResponseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
         assertEquals(TYPE, personalizeResponseProcessor.getType());
         assertEquals("testTag", personalizeResponseProcessor.getTag());
@@ -177,7 +201,7 @@ public void testProcessorWithNoHits() throws Exception {
         Map<String, Object> configuration = buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig();
 
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor personalizeResponseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
         SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest();
         SearchHits hits = new SearchHits(new SearchHit[0], new TotalHits(0, TotalHits.Relation.EQUAL_TO), 0.0f);
         SearchResponseSections searchResponseSections = new SearchResponseSections(hits, null, null, false, false, null, 0);
@@ -196,22 +220,22 @@ public void testProcessorWithPersonalizeContext() throws Exception {
 
         Map<String, Object> configuration = buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig();
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor personalizeResponseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
         Map<String, Object> personalizeContext = new HashMap<>();
         personalizeContext.put("contextKey2", "contextValue2");
 
         SearchResponse personalizedResponse =
-                getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(personalizeResponseProcessor, personalizeContext, numHits);
+                createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(personalizeResponseProcessor, personalizeContext, NUM_HITS);
 
         List<SearchHit> transformedHits = Arrays.asList(personalizedResponse.getHits().getHits());
         List<String> rerankedDocumentIds;
         rerankedDocumentIds = transformedHits.stream()
-                .filter(h -> h.getSourceAsMap().get(itemIdField) != null)
-                .map(h -> h.getSourceAsMap().get(itemIdField).toString())
+                .filter(h -> h.getSourceAsMap().get(ITEM_ID_FIELD) != null)
+                .map(h -> h.getSourceAsMap().get(ITEM_ID_FIELD).toString())
                 .collect(Collectors.toList());
 
-        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(numHits, 1);
+        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(NUM_HITS, 1);
         assertEquals(expectedRankedDocumentIds, rerankedDocumentIds);
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
@@ -224,13 +248,13 @@ public void testProcessorWithHitsWithInvalidPersonalizeContext() throws Exceptio
 
         Map<String, Object> configuration = buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig();
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor personalizeResponseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
         Map<String, Object> personalizeContext = new HashMap<>();
         personalizeContext.put("contextKey2", 5);
 
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () ->
-                getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(personalizeResponseProcessor, personalizeContext, numHits));
+                createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(personalizeResponseProcessor, personalizeContext, NUM_HITS));
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
 
@@ -244,9 +268,9 @@ public void testPersonalizeRankingResponse() throws Exception {
         Map<String, Object> configuration = buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig();
 
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor responseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
-        SearchResponse personalizedResponse = getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, numHits);
+        SearchResponse personalizedResponse = createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, NUM_HITS);
 
         List<SearchHit> transformedHits = Arrays.asList(personalizedResponse.getHits().getHits());
         List<String> rerankedDocumentIds;
@@ -255,7 +279,7 @@ public void testPersonalizeRankingResponse() throws Exception {
                 .map(h -> h.getSourceAsMap().get(itemField).toString())
                 .collect(Collectors.toList());
 
-        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(numHits, 1);
+        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(NUM_HITS, 1);
         assertEquals(expectedRankedDocumentIds, rerankedDocumentIds);
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
@@ -271,10 +295,10 @@ public void testPersonalizeRankingResponseWithInvalidItemIdFieldName() throws Ex
         configuration.put("item_id_field", itemFieldInvalid);
 
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor responseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
         expectThrows(OpenSearchParseException.class, () ->
-                getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, numHits));
+                createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, NUM_HITS));
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
 
@@ -289,26 +313,26 @@ public void testPersonalizeRankingResponseWithDefaultItemIdField() throws Except
         configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdFieldEmpty);
 
         PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor responseProcessor =
-                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, null);
+                factory.create(Collections.emptyMap(), "testTag", "testingAllFields", false, configuration, UPDATE_CONTEXT);
 
-        SearchResponse personalizedResponse = getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, numHits);
+        SearchResponse personalizedResponse = createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(responseProcessor, null, NUM_HITS);
 
         List<SearchHit> transformedHits = Arrays.asList(personalizedResponse.getHits().getHits());
         List<String> rerankedDocumentIds;
         rerankedDocumentIds = transformedHits.stream()
-                .filter(h -> h.getId() != null)
-                .map(h -> h.getId())
+                .map(SearchHit::getId)
+                .filter(Objects::nonNull)
                 .collect(Collectors.toList());
 
-        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(numHits, 1);
+        ArrayList<String> expectedRankedDocumentIds = PersonalizeRuntimeTestUtil.expectedRankedItemIdsForGivenWeight(NUM_HITS, 1);
 
         assertEquals(expectedRankedDocumentIds, rerankedDocumentIds);
         IdleConnectionReaper.shutdown();
     }
 
-    private SearchResponse getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor responseProcessor,
-                                                                    Map<String, Object> personalizeContext,
-                                                                    int numHits) throws Exception {
+    private SearchResponse createPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(PersonalizeRankingResponseProcessor responseProcessor,
+                                                                      Map<String, Object> personalizeContext,
+                                                                      int numHits) throws Exception {
 
         PersonalizeRequestParameters personalizeRequestParams = new PersonalizeRequestParameters("user_1", personalizeContext);
         SearchRequest request = SearchTestUtil.createSearchRequestWithPersonalizeRequest(personalizeRequestParams);
@@ -324,12 +348,12 @@ private SearchResponse getPersonalizedRankingProcessorResponse(PersonalizeRankin
 
     private Map<String, Object> buildPersonalizeResponseProcessorConfig() {
         Map<String, Object> configuration = new HashMap<>();
-        configuration.put("campaign_arn", personalizeCampaign);
-        configuration.put("item_id_field", itemIdField);
+        configuration.put("campaign_arn", PERSONALIZE_CAMPAIGN);
+        configuration.put("item_id_field", ITEM_ID_FIELD);
         configuration.put("recipe", AMAZON_PERSONALIZED_RANKING_RECIPE_NAME);
-        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(weight));
-        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", iamRoleArn);
-        configuration.put("aws_region", region);
+        configuration.put("weight", String.valueOf(WEIGHT));
+        configuration.put("iam_role_arn", IAM_ROLE_ARN);
+        configuration.put("aws_region", REGION);
         return configuration;
     }
 }