diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-elasticloadbalancingv2/lib/alb/application-target-group.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-elasticloadbalancingv2/lib/alb/application-target-group.ts
index dc381c4529cb2..025d655aef181 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-elasticloadbalancingv2/lib/alb/application-target-group.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-elasticloadbalancingv2/lib/alb/application-target-group.ts
@@ -145,7 +145,11 @@ export class ApplicationTargetGroup extends TargetGroupBase implements IApplicat
         this.setAttribute('slow_start.duration_seconds', props.slowStart.toSeconds().toString());
       }
 
-      this.enableCookieStickiness(props.stickinessCookieDuration, props.stickinessCookieName);
+      if (props.stickinessCookieDuration) {
+        this.enableCookieStickiness(props.stickinessCookieDuration, props.stickinessCookieName);
+      } else {
+        this.setAttribute('stickiness.enabled', 'false');
+      }
 
       if (props.loadBalancingAlgorithmType) {
         this.setAttribute('load_balancing.algorithm.type', props.loadBalancingAlgorithmType);
@@ -172,12 +176,7 @@ export class ApplicationTargetGroup extends TargetGroupBase implements IApplicat
    *
    * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/application/sticky-sessions.html
    */
-  public enableCookieStickiness(duration?: Duration, cookieName?: string) {
-    if (typeof duration === 'undefined') {
-      this.setAttribute('stickiness.enabled', 'false');
-      return;
-    }
-
+  public enableCookieStickiness(duration: Duration, cookieName?: string) {
     if (duration.toSeconds() < 1 || duration.toSeconds() > 604800) {
       throw new Error('Stickiness cookie duration value must be between 1 second and 7 days (604800 seconds).');
     }