diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9f994a8bcc..d032e8cd95 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 * Fix: Make the ANR Atomic flags immutable
 * Enchancement: Integration interface better compatibility with Kotlin null-safety
 * Enchancement: Simplify Sentry configuration in Spring integration (#1259)
+* Enchancement: Simplify configuring Logback integration when environment variable with the DSN is not set (#1271)
 * Fix: Prevent NoOpHub from creating heavy SentryOptions objects (#1272)
 * Enchancement: Add Request to the Scope. #1270
 * Fix: Fix SentryTransaction#getStatus NPE (#1273)
diff --git a/sentry-logback/src/main/java/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppender.java b/sentry-logback/src/main/java/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppender.java
index b2cfc53ad3..2716b7c266 100644
--- a/sentry-logback/src/main/java/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppender.java
+++ b/sentry-logback/src/main/java/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppender.java
@@ -35,14 +35,20 @@ public final class SentryAppender extends UnsynchronizedAppenderBase<ILoggingEve
   @Override
   public void start() {
     if (!Sentry.isEnabled()) {
-      options.setEnableExternalConfiguration(true);
-      options.setSentryClientName(BuildConfig.SENTRY_LOGBACK_SDK_NAME);
-      options.setSdkVersion(createSdkVersion(options));
-      Optional.ofNullable(transportFactory).ifPresent(options::setTransportFactory);
-      try {
-        Sentry.init(options);
-      } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-        addWarn("Failed to init Sentry during appender initialization: " + e.getMessage());
+      if (options.getDsn() != null && !options.getDsn().endsWith("_IS_UNDEFINED")) {
+        options.setEnableExternalConfiguration(true);
+        options.setSentryClientName(BuildConfig.SENTRY_LOGBACK_SDK_NAME);
+        options.setSdkVersion(createSdkVersion(options));
+        Optional.ofNullable(transportFactory).ifPresent(options::setTransportFactory);
+        try {
+          Sentry.init(options);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+          addWarn("Failed to init Sentry during appender initialization: " + e.getMessage());
+        }
+      } else {
+        options
+            .getLogger()
+            .log(SentryLevel.WARNING, "DSN is null. SentryAppender is not being initialized");
       }
     }
     super.start();
diff --git a/sentry-logback/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppenderTest.kt b/sentry-logback/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppenderTest.kt
index 22bbd58bde..bc07dd21d8 100644
--- a/sentry-logback/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppenderTest.kt
+++ b/sentry-logback/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/logback/SentryAppenderTest.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package io.sentry.logback
 
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.Level
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.LoggerContext
+import ch.qos.logback.core.status.Status
 import com.nhaarman.mockitokotlin2.any
 import com.nhaarman.mockitokotlin2.anyOrNull
 import com.nhaarman.mockitokotlin2.mock
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory
 import org.slf4j.MDC
 
 class SentryAppenderTest {
-    private class Fixture(minimumBreadcrumbLevel: Level? = null, minimumEventLevel: Level? = null) {
+    private class Fixture(dsn: String? = "http://key@localhost/proj", minimumBreadcrumbLevel: Level? = null, minimumEventLevel: Level? = null) {
         val logger: Logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SentryAppenderTest::class.java)
         val loggerContext = LoggerFactory.getILoggerFactory() as LoggerContext
         val transportFactory = mock<ITransportFactory>()
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ class SentryAppenderTest {
             whenever(this.transportFactory.create(any(), any())).thenReturn(transport)
             val appender = SentryAppender()
             val options = SentryOptions()
-            options.dsn = "http://key@localhost/proj"
+            options.dsn = dsn
             appender.setOptions(options)
             appender.setMinimumBreadcrumbLevel(minimumBreadcrumbLevel)
             appender.setMinimumEventLevel(minimumEventLevel)
@@ -305,4 +306,12 @@ class SentryAppenderTest {
             }, anyOrNull())
         }
     }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `does not initialize Sentry when environment variable with DSN is not set`() {
+        // environment variables referenced in the logback.xml that are not set in the OS, have value "ENV_NAME_IS_UNDEFINED"
+        fixture = Fixture(dsn = "DSN_IS_UNDEFINED", minimumEventLevel = Level.DEBUG)
+
+        assertTrue(fixture.loggerContext.statusManager.copyOfStatusList.none { it.level == Status.WARN })
+    }
 }
diff --git a/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-logback/src/main/resources/logback.xml b/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-logback/src/main/resources/logback.xml
index ebfa585671..9c97514312 100644
--- a/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-logback/src/main/resources/logback.xml
+++ b/sentry-samples/sentry-samples-logback/src/main/resources/logback.xml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
   <appender name="sentry" class="io.sentry.logback.SentryAppender">
     <options>
+      <debug>true</debug>
       <!-- NOTE: Replace the test DSN below with YOUR OWN DSN to see the events from this app in your Sentry project/dashboard -->
       <dsn>https://502f25099c204a2fbf4cb16edc5975d1@o447951.ingest.sentry.io/5428563</dsn>
     </options>