diff --git a/eventsources/sources/pulsar/start.go b/eventsources/sources/pulsar/start.go
index 18a2fcc94b..e1307a999d 100644
--- a/eventsources/sources/pulsar/start.go
+++ b/eventsources/sources/pulsar/start.go
@@ -107,14 +107,16 @@ func (el *EventListener) StartListening(ctx context.Context, dispatch func([]byt
 		clientOpt.Authentication = pulsar.NewAuthenticationToken(token)
 	}
 
-	if len(pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzParams) > 0 && pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzSecret != nil {
+	if len(pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzParams) > 0 {
 		log.Info("setting athenz auth option...")
-		authAthenzFilePath, err := common.GetSecretVolumePath(pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzSecret)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorw("failed to get authAthenzSecret from the volume", zap.Error(err))
-			return err
+		if pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzSecret != nil {
+			authAthenzFilePath, err := common.GetSecretVolumePath(pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzSecret)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorw("failed to get authAthenzSecret from the volume", zap.Error(err))
+				return err
+			}
+			pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzParams["privateKey"] = "file://" + authAthenzFilePath
 		}
-		pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzParams["privateKey"] = "file://" + authAthenzFilePath
 		clientOpt.Authentication = pulsar.NewAuthenticationAthenz(pulsarEventSource.AuthAthenzParams)
 	}
 
diff --git a/sensors/triggers/pulsar/pulsar.go b/sensors/triggers/pulsar/pulsar.go
index 2e5f0eca08..6b0956760c 100644
--- a/sensors/triggers/pulsar/pulsar.go
+++ b/sensors/triggers/pulsar/pulsar.go
@@ -73,14 +73,16 @@ func NewPulsarTrigger(sensor *v1alpha1.Sensor, trigger *v1alpha1.Trigger, pulsar
 			clientOpt.Authentication = pulsar.NewAuthenticationToken(token)
 		}
 
-		if len(pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzParams) > 0 && pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzSecret != nil {
+		if len(pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzParams) > 0 {
 			logger.Info("setting athenz auth option...")
-			authAthenzFilePath, err := common.GetSecretVolumePath(pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzSecret)
-			if err != nil {
-				logger.Errorw("failed to get authAthenzSecret from the volume", zap.Error(err))
-				return nil, err
+			if pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzSecret != nil {
+				authAthenzFilePath, err := common.GetSecretVolumePath(pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzSecret)
+				if err != nil {
+					logger.Errorw("failed to get authAthenzSecret from the volume", zap.Error(err))
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzParams["privateKey"] = "file://" + authAthenzFilePath
 			}
-			pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzParams["privateKey"] = "file://" + authAthenzFilePath
 			clientOpt.Authentication = pulsar.NewAuthenticationAthenz(pulsarTrigger.AuthAthenzParams)
 		}