diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file.go
index 8588419187c..6a688d7098f 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file.go
@@ -129,9 +129,21 @@ func (t *azureFileCSITranslator) TranslateInTreePVToCSI(pv *v1.PersistentVolume)
 			resourceGroup = v
 		}
 	}
-	namespace := defaultSecretNamespace
+
+	// Secret is required when mounting a volume but pod presence cannot be assumed - we should not try to read pod now.
+	namespace := ""
+	// Try to read SecretNamespace from source pv.
 	if azureSource.SecretNamespace != nil {
 		namespace = *azureSource.SecretNamespace
+	} else {
+		// Try to read namespace from ClaimRef which should be always present.
+		if pv.Spec.ClaimRef != nil {
+			namespace = pv.Spec.ClaimRef.Namespace
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(namespace) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find a secret namespace in PersistentVolumeSource or ClaimRef")
 	}
 
 	volumeID := fmt.Sprintf(volumeIDTemplate, resourceGroup, accountName, azureSource.ShareName, pv.ObjectMeta.Name, namespace)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file_test.go
index 19ba1f5225b..80a6519da13 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/csi-translation-lib/plugins/azure_file_test.go
@@ -223,6 +223,25 @@ func TestTranslateAzureFileInTreePVToCSI(t *testing.T) {
 			volume: &corev1.PersistentVolume{},
 			expErr: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "return error if secret namespace could not be found",
+			volume: &corev1.PersistentVolume{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:        "uuid",
+					Annotations: map[string]string{resourceGroupAnnotation: "rg"},
+				},
+				Spec: corev1.PersistentVolumeSpec{
+					PersistentVolumeSource: corev1.PersistentVolumeSource{
+						AzureFile: &corev1.AzureFilePersistentVolumeSource{
+							ShareName:  "sharename",
+							SecretName: "secretname",
+							ReadOnly:   true,
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			expErr: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "azure file volume",
 			volume: &corev1.PersistentVolume{
@@ -299,6 +318,51 @@ func TestTranslateAzureFileInTreePVToCSI(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "get secret namespace from ClaimRef when it's missing in pv spec source",
+			volume: &corev1.PersistentVolume{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:        "uuid",
+					Annotations: map[string]string{resourceGroupAnnotation: "rg"},
+				},
+				Spec: corev1.PersistentVolumeSpec{
+					PersistentVolumeSource: corev1.PersistentVolumeSource{
+						AzureFile: &corev1.AzureFilePersistentVolumeSource{
+							ShareName:  "sharename",
+							SecretName: "secretname",
+							//SecretNamespace: &secretNamespace,
+							ReadOnly: true,
+						},
+					},
+					ClaimRef: &corev1.ObjectReference{
+						Namespace: secretNamespace,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			expVol: &corev1.PersistentVolume{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:        "uuid",
+					Annotations: map[string]string{resourceGroupAnnotation: "rg"},
+				},
+				Spec: corev1.PersistentVolumeSpec{
+					PersistentVolumeSource: corev1.PersistentVolumeSource{
+						CSI: &corev1.CSIPersistentVolumeSource{
+							Driver:   "file.csi.azure.com",
+							ReadOnly: true,
+							NodeStageSecretRef: &corev1.SecretReference{
+								Name:      "secretname",
+								Namespace: secretNamespace,
+							},
+							VolumeAttributes: map[string]string{shareNameField: "sharename"},
+							VolumeHandle:     "rg#secretname#sharename#uuid#secretnamespace",
+						},
+					},
+					ClaimRef: &corev1.ObjectReference{
+						Namespace: secretNamespace,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {