diff --git a/src/prefect/client/cloud.py b/src/prefect/client/cloud.py
index 101a7b3dc98c..ba5d4df3477b 100644
--- a/src/prefect/client/cloud.py
+++ b/src/prefect/client/cloud.py
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@ def __init__(
             **httpx_settings, enable_csrf_support=False
         )
 
+        api_url = prefect.settings.PREFECT_API_URL.value() or ""
         if match := (
             re.search(PARSE_API_URL_REGEX, host)
-            or re.search(PARSE_API_URL_REGEX, prefect.settings.PREFECT_API_URL.value())
+            or re.search(PARSE_API_URL_REGEX, api_url)
         ):
             self.account_id, self.workspace_id = match.groups()
 
diff --git a/tests/client/test_cloud_client.py b/tests/client/test_cloud_client.py
index 2a7841d52c46..3fa2d4fe5d8c 100644
--- a/tests/client/test_cloud_client.py
+++ b/tests/client/test_cloud_client.py
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ async def mock_work_pool_types():
         yield
 
 
+async def test_cloud_client_init_with_no_api():
+    with temporary_settings({PREFECT_API_URL: None}):
+        async with get_cloud_client() as client:
+            assert client
+
+
 async def test_cloud_client_follow_redirects():
     httpx_settings = {"follow_redirects": True}
     async with get_cloud_client(httpx_settings=httpx_settings) as client: