diff --git a/sdk/storage/azfile/directory/client_test.go b/sdk/storage/azfile/directory/client_test.go
index 6f952fe7aae2..c2b7dc12df25 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azfile/directory/client_test.go
+++ b/sdk/storage/azfile/directory/client_test.go
@@ -2287,7 +2287,7 @@ func (d *DirectoryRecordedTestsSuite) TestDirectoryClientDefaultAudience() {
 
 	options := &directory.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(directory.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://storage.azure.com/"),
+		Audience:          "https://storage.azure.com/",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(d.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	dirClientAudience, err := directory.NewClient(dirURL, cred, options)
@@ -2322,7 +2322,7 @@ func (d *DirectoryRecordedTestsSuite) TestDirectoryClientCustomAudience() {
 
 	options := &directory.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(directory.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(d.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	dirClientAudience, err := directory.NewClient(dirURL, cred, options)
@@ -2357,7 +2357,7 @@ func (d *DirectoryRecordedTestsSuite) TestDirectoryAudienceNegative() {
 
 	options := &directory.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(directory.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(d.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	dirClientAudience, err := directory.NewClient(dirURL, cred, options)
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azfile/file/client_test.go b/sdk/storage/azfile/file/client_test.go
index f7aa36c5ab7a..c98c4d04ef6b 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azfile/file/client_test.go
+++ b/sdk/storage/azfile/file/client_test.go
@@ -4543,7 +4543,7 @@ func (f *FileRecordedTestsSuite) TestFileClientDefaultAudience() {
 
 	options := &file.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(file.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://storage.azure.com/"),
+		Audience:          "https://storage.azure.com/",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(f.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	fileClientAudience, err := file.NewClient(fileURL, cred, options)
@@ -4578,7 +4578,7 @@ func (f *FileRecordedTestsSuite) TestFileClientCustomAudience() {
 
 	options := &file.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(file.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(f.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	fileClientAudience, err := file.NewClient(fileURL, cred, options)
@@ -4613,7 +4613,7 @@ func (f *FileRecordedTestsSuite) TestFileClientAudienceNegative() {
 
 	options := &file.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(file.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(f.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	fileClientAudience, err := file.NewClient(fileURL, cred, options)
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azfile/internal/base/clients.go b/sdk/storage/azfile/internal/base/clients.go
index 8d081a73c4b9..e39baf006011 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azfile/internal/base/clients.go
+++ b/sdk/storage/azfile/internal/base/clients.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type ClientOptions struct {
 	// Audience to use when requesting tokens for Azure Active Directory authentication.
 	// Only has an effect when credential is of type TokenCredential. The value could be
 	// https://storage.azure.com/ (default) or https://<account>.file.core.windows.net.
-	Audience *string
+	Audience string
 
 	pipelineOptions *runtime.PipelineOptions
 }
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ func SetPipelineOptions(clOpts *ClientOptions, plOpts *runtime.PipelineOptions)
 }
 
 func GetAudience(clOpts *ClientOptions) string {
-	if clOpts == nil || clOpts.Audience == nil {
+	if clOpts == nil || len(strings.TrimSpace(clOpts.Audience)) == 0 {
 		return shared.TokenScope
 	} else {
-		return strings.TrimRight(*clOpts.Audience, "/") + "/.default"
+		return strings.TrimRight(clOpts.Audience, "/") + "/.default"
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azfile/service/client_test.go b/sdk/storage/azfile/service/client_test.go
index 7a6c0c2b3481..0d83e8556f30 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azfile/service/client_test.go
+++ b/sdk/storage/azfile/service/client_test.go
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ func (s *ServiceRecordedTestsSuite) TestServiceClientCustomAudience() {
 	// create service client using token credential
 	options := &service.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(service.ShareTokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(s.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	svcClientAudience, err := service.NewClient("https://"+accountName+".file.core.windows.net/", cred, options)
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azfile/share/client_test.go b/sdk/storage/azfile/share/client_test.go
index b75107dff41f..a5dc7fb74d4e 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azfile/share/client_test.go
+++ b/sdk/storage/azfile/share/client_test.go
@@ -1647,7 +1647,7 @@ func (s *ShareRecordedTestsSuite) TestShareClientDefaultAudience() {
 
 	options := &share.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(share.TokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://storage.azure.com/"),
+		Audience:          "https://storage.azure.com/",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(s.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	shareClientAudience, err := share.NewClient("https://"+accountName+".file.core.windows.net/"+shareName, cred, options)
@@ -1684,7 +1684,7 @@ func (s *ShareRecordedTestsSuite) TestShareClientCustomAudience() {
 
 	options := &share.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(share.TokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://" + accountName + ".file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(s.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	shareClientAudience, err := share.NewClient("https://"+accountName+".file.core.windows.net/"+shareName, cred, options)
@@ -1721,7 +1721,7 @@ func (s *ShareRecordedTestsSuite) TestShareClientAudienceNegative() {
 
 	options := &share.ClientOptions{
 		FileRequestIntent: to.Ptr(share.TokenIntentBackup),
-		Audience:          to.Ptr("https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net"),
+		Audience:          "https://badaudience.file.core.windows.net",
 	}
 	testcommon.SetClientOptions(s.T(), &options.ClientOptions)
 	shareClientAudience, err := share.NewClient("https://"+accountName+".file.core.windows.net/"+shareName, cred, options)