diff --git a/kombu/transport/SQS.py b/kombu/transport/SQS.py
index 80b1af5b1..3743e3a18 100644
--- a/kombu/transport/SQS.py
+++ b/kombu/transport/SQS.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
 import socket
 import string
 import uuid
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from queue import Empty
 
 from botocore.client import Config
@@ -734,23 +734,23 @@ def sqs(self, queue=None):
         return c
 
     def _handle_sts_session(self, queue, q):
-        if not hasattr(self, 'sts_expiration'):  # STS token - token init
+        datetime_now_utc = datetime.now(timezone.utc).replace(
+            tzinfo=None
+        )
+        sts_token_timeout = self.transport_options.get(
+            'sts_token_timeout', 900
+        )
+        # STS token is generated only if it is not present or
+        # the time reaches 80% of the token TTL
+        if (not hasattr(self, 'sts_expiration')) or (
+            self.sts_expiration.replace(tzinfo=None)
+            - timedelta(seconds=int(sts_token_timeout * 0.2))
+            < datetime_now_utc
+        ):
             sts_creds = self.generate_sts_session_token(
                 self.transport_options.get('sts_role_arn'),
-                self.transport_options.get('sts_token_timeout', 900))
-            self.sts_expiration = sts_creds['Expiration']
-            c = self._predefined_queue_clients[queue] = self.new_sqs_client(
-                region=q.get('region', self.region),
-                access_key_id=sts_creds['AccessKeyId'],
-                secret_access_key=sts_creds['SecretAccessKey'],
-                session_token=sts_creds['SessionToken'],
+                sts_token_timeout,
             )
-            return c
-        # STS token - refresh if expired
-        elif self.sts_expiration.replace(tzinfo=None) < datetime.utcnow():
-            sts_creds = self.generate_sts_session_token(
-                self.transport_options.get('sts_role_arn'),
-                self.transport_options.get('sts_token_timeout', 900))
             self.sts_expiration = sts_creds['Expiration']
             c = self._predefined_queue_clients[queue] = self.new_sqs_client(
                 region=q.get('region', self.region),
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ def _handle_sts_session(self, queue, q):
                 session_token=sts_creds['SessionToken'],
             )
             return c
-        else:  # STS token - ruse existing
+        else:  # STS token still valid - reuse existing
             return self._predefined_queue_clients[queue]
 
     def generate_sts_session_token(self, role_arn, token_expiry_seconds):