diff --git a/smithy-aws-traits/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidator.java b/smithy-aws-traits/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidator.java
index 2e7101a52a6..9c97c30a4ed 100644
--- a/smithy-aws-traits/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidator.java
+++ b/smithy-aws-traits/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidator.java
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ public static void validateServiceId(String serviceId) {
             messages.add(String.format("Must not case-insensitively end with `%s`", suffix));
         });
 
-        if (serviceId.length() < 2 || serviceId.length() > 50) {
-            messages.add("Must be between 2 and 50 characters long.");
+        if (serviceId.isEmpty() || serviceId.length() > 50) {
+            messages.add("Must be between 1 and 50 characters long.");
         }
 
         if (!messages.isEmpty()) {
diff --git a/smithy-aws-traits/src/test/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidatorTest.java b/smithy-aws-traits/src/test/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidatorTest.java
index 0321c121c78..1b6fa22272f 100644
--- a/smithy-aws-traits/src/test/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidatorTest.java
+++ b/smithy-aws-traits/src/test/java/software/amazon/smithy/aws/traits/SdkServiceIdValidatorTest.java
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ public void noTrailingWhitespace() {
     @Test
     public void doesNotAllowShortIds() {
         IllegalArgumentException thrown = Assertions.assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () ->
-                SdkServiceIdValidator.validateServiceId("F"));
+                SdkServiceIdValidator.validateServiceId(""));
 
-        assertThat(thrown.getMessage(), containsString("2 and 50"));
+        assertThat(thrown.getMessage(), containsString("1 and 50"));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -86,6 +86,6 @@ public void doesNotAllowLongIds() {
         IllegalArgumentException thrown = Assertions.assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () ->
                 SdkServiceIdValidator.validateServiceId("Foobarbazqux Foobarbazqux Foobarbazqux Foobarbazqux"));
 
-        assertThat(thrown.getMessage(), containsString("2 and 50"));
+        assertThat(thrown.getMessage(), containsString("1 and 50"));
     }
 }