diff --git a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
index e10fffa0d..dfd63131d 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ func New() backend.Backend {
 
 			"prefix": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
-				Required:    true,
-				Description: "The prefix to use when storing state in etcd.",
+				Optional:    true,
+				Description: "An optional prefix to be added to keys when to storing state in etcd.",
+				Default:     "",
 			},
 
 			"lock": &schema.Schema{
diff --git a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_state.go b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_state.go
index 358a95295..1df89008a 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_state.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_state.go
@@ -13,18 +13,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
 
-const (
-	keyEnvPrefix = "-env:"
-)
-
 func (b *Backend) States() ([]string, error) {
 	client, err := b.rawClient()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	prefix := b.determineKey("")
-	res, err := client.Get(context.TODO(), prefix, etcdv3.WithPrefix(), etcdv3.WithKeysOnly())
+	res, err := client.Get(context.TODO(), b.prefix, etcdv3.WithPrefix(), etcdv3.WithKeysOnly())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -32,7 +27,7 @@ func (b *Backend) States() ([]string, error) {
 	result := make([]string, 1, len(res.Kvs)+1)
 	result[0] = backend.DefaultStateName
 	for _, kv := range res.Kvs {
-		result = append(result, strings.TrimPrefix(string(kv.Key), prefix))
+		result = append(result, strings.TrimPrefix(string(kv.Key), b.prefix))
 	}
 	sort.Strings(result[1:])
 
@@ -49,9 +44,9 @@ func (b *Backend) DeleteState(name string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	path := b.determineKey(name)
+	key := b.determineKey(name)
 
-	_, err = client.Delete(context.TODO(), path)
+	_, err = client.Delete(context.TODO(), key)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -111,11 +106,7 @@ func (b *Backend) State(name string) (state.State, error) {
 }
 
 func (b *Backend) determineKey(name string) string {
-	prefix := b.prefix
-	if name != backend.DefaultStateName {
-		prefix += fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", keyEnvPrefix, name)
-	}
-	return prefix
+	return b.prefix + name
 }
 
 const errStateUnlock = `
diff --git a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_test.go b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_test.go
index 619f46c05..ded8f4ae3 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_test.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend_test.go
@@ -49,17 +49,17 @@ func prepareEtcdv3(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBackend(t *testing.T) {
 	prepareEtcdv3(t)
 
-	path := fmt.Sprintf("tf-unit/%s", time.Now().String())
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/", keyPrefix, time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))
 
 	// Get the backend. We need two to test locking.
 	b1 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    path,
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	})
 
 	b2 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    path,
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	})
 
 	// Test
@@ -69,19 +69,19 @@ func TestBackend(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBackend_lockDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	prepareEtcdv3(t)
 
-	key := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", keyPrefix, time.Now().String())
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/", keyPrefix, time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))
 
 	// Get the backend. We need two to test locking.
 	b1 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 		"lock":      false,
-		"prefix":    key,
 	})
 
 	b2 := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
+		"prefix":    prefix + "/" + "different", // Diff so locking test would fail if it was locking
 		"lock":      false,
-		"prefix":    key + "/" + "different", // Diff so locking test would fail if it was locking
 	})
 
 	// Test
diff --git a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/client_test.go b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/client_test.go
index 0551afb76..0bd39a663 100644
--- a/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/client_test.go
+++ b/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/client_test.go
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ func TestRemoteClient_impl(t *testing.T) {
 func TestRemoteClient(t *testing.T) {
 	prepareEtcdv3(t)
 
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/", keyPrefix, time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))
+
 	// Get the backend
 	b := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", keyPrefix, time.Now().String()),
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	})
 
 	// Grab the client
@@ -37,12 +39,12 @@ func TestRemoteClient(t *testing.T) {
 func TestEtcdv3_stateLock(t *testing.T) {
 	prepareEtcdv3(t)
 
-	key := fmt.Sprintf("tf-unit/%s", time.Now().String())
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/", keyPrefix, time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))
 
 	// Get the backend
 	s1, err := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    key,
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	}).State(backend.DefaultStateName)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ func TestEtcdv3_stateLock(t *testing.T) {
 
 	s2, err := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    key,
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	}).State(backend.DefaultStateName)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -62,10 +64,12 @@ func TestEtcdv3_stateLock(t *testing.T) {
 func TestEtcdv3_destroyLock(t *testing.T) {
 	prepareEtcdv3(t)
 
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/", keyPrefix, time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))
+
 	// Get the backend
 	b := backend.TestBackendConfig(t, New(), map[string]interface{}{
 		"endpoints": etcdv3Endpoints,
-		"prefix":    fmt.Sprintf("tf-unit/%s", time.Now().String()),
+		"prefix":    prefix,
 	})
 
 	// Grab the client