diff --git a/composer/utils/dist.py b/composer/utils/dist.py
index 0909477042..e5d5c735a5 100644
--- a/composer/utils/dist.py
+++ b/composer/utils/dist.py
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+class MissingEnvironmentError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 def _get_distributed_config_var(
     env_var: str,
     human_name: str,
@@ -91,8 +95,8 @@ def _get_distributed_config_var(
         return int(os.environ[env_var])
 
     if dist.is_initialized():
-        raise RuntimeError('Torch distributed is initialized but environment variable '
-                           f'{env_var} is not set.')
+        raise MissingEnvironmentError('Torch distributed is initialized but environment variable '
+                                      f'{env_var} is not set.')
 
     return default
 
diff --git a/composer/utils/file_helpers.py b/composer/utils/file_helpers.py
index 66003fd92c..1c550377f8 100644
--- a/composer/utils/file_helpers.py
+++ b/composer/utils/file_helpers.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import re
 import tempfile
 import uuid
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional, Union
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, Optional, Union
 
 import requests
 import tqdm
@@ -34,6 +34,34 @@
 ]
 
 
+def _get_dist_config(strict: bool = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Returns a dict of distributed settings (rank, world_size, etc.).
+
+    If ``strict=True``, will error if a setting is not available (e.g. the
+    environment variable is not set). Otherwise, will only return settings
+    that are availalbe.
+    """
+    settings = {
+        'rank': dist.get_global_rank,
+        'local_rank': dist.get_local_rank,
+        'world_size': dist.get_world_size,
+        'local_world_size': dist.get_local_world_size,
+        'node_rank': dist.get_node_rank,
+    }
+
+    dist_config = {}
+    for name, func in settings.items():
+        try:
+            value = func()
+        except dist.MissingEnvironmentError as e:
+            if strict:
+                raise e
+        else:
+            dist_config[name] = value
+
+    return dist_config
+
+
 def is_tar(name: Union[str, pathlib.Path]) -> bool:
     """Returns whether ``name`` has a tar-like extension.
 
@@ -89,11 +117,7 @@ def ensure_folder_has_no_conflicting_files(folder_name: Union[str, pathlib.Path]
             pattern = pattern.replace(f'{{{unit}}}', f'(?P<{unit}>\\d+)')
 
     # Format rank information
-    pattern = pattern.format(rank=dist.get_global_rank(),
-                             local_rank=dist.get_local_rank(),
-                             world_size=dist.get_world_size(),
-                             local_world_size=dist.get_local_world_size(),
-                             node_rank=dist.get_node_rank())
+    pattern = pattern.format(**_get_dist_config(strict=False))
 
     template = re.compile(pattern)
 
@@ -143,11 +167,7 @@ def ensure_folder_has_no_conflicting_files(folder_name: Union[str, pathlib.Path]
 def format_name_with_dist(format_str: str, run_name: str, **extra_format_kwargs: object):  # noqa: D103
     formatted_str = format_str.format(
         run_name=run_name,
-        rank=dist.get_global_rank(),
-        local_rank=dist.get_local_rank(),
-        world_size=dist.get_world_size(),
-        local_world_size=dist.get_local_world_size(),
-        node_rank=dist.get_node_rank(),
+        **_get_dist_config(strict=False),
         **extra_format_kwargs,
     )
     return formatted_str
@@ -240,11 +260,6 @@ def format_name_with_dist_and_time(
 ):  # noqa: D103
     formatted_str = format_str.format(
         run_name=run_name,
-        rank=dist.get_global_rank(),
-        local_rank=dist.get_local_rank(),
-        world_size=dist.get_world_size(),
-        local_world_size=dist.get_local_world_size(),
-        node_rank=dist.get_node_rank(),
         epoch=int(timestamp.epoch),
         batch=int(timestamp.batch),
         batch_in_epoch=int(timestamp.batch_in_epoch),
@@ -255,6 +270,7 @@ def format_name_with_dist_and_time(
         total_wct=timestamp.total_wct.total_seconds(),
         epoch_wct=timestamp.epoch_wct.total_seconds(),
         batch_wct=timestamp.batch_wct.total_seconds(),
+        **_get_dist_config(strict=False),
         **extra_format_kwargs,
     )
     return formatted_str
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_file_helpers.py b/tests/utils/test_file_helpers.py
index e4cee6e136..fa3d202fb0 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_file_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_file_helpers.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from composer.utils.file_helpers import (ensure_folder_has_no_conflicting_files, ensure_folder_is_empty,
                                          format_name_with_dist, format_name_with_dist_and_time, get_file, is_tar)
 from composer.utils.object_store.libcloud_object_store import LibcloudObjectStore
+from tests.common.markers import world_size
 
 
 @pytest.mark.xfail(reason='Occassionally hits the timeout. Should refactor to use a local webserver.')
@@ -153,6 +154,28 @@ def test_format_name_with_dist():
     assert format_name_with_dist(format_str, 'awesome_run', extra=42) == expected_str
 
 
+@world_size(2)
+def test_safe_format_name_with_dist(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, world_size):
+    """node rank deleted, but not in format string, so format should complete."""
+    vars = ['run_name', 'world_size']
+    format_str = ','.join(f'{x}={{{x}}}' for x in vars)
+    expected_str = 'run_name=awesome_run,world_size=2'
+
+    monkeypatch.delenv('NODE_RANK')
+    assert format_name_with_dist(format_str, 'awesome_run') == expected_str
+
+
+@world_size(2)
+def test_unsafe_format_name_with_dist(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, world_size):
+    """Node rank is deleted, but also in the format string, so expect error."""
+    vars = ['run_name', 'node_rank']
+    format_str = ','.join(f'{x}={{{x}}}' for x in vars)
+
+    monkeypatch.delenv('NODE_RANK')
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        assert format_name_with_dist(format_str, 'awesome_run') == 'run_name=awesome_run,node_rank=3'
+
+
 def test_format_name_with_dist_and_time():
     vars = [
         'run_name',