diff --git a/pkg/cloud/cloud.go b/pkg/cloud/cloud.go
index 3263ba3781..c1ffac82f0 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/cloud.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/cloud.go
@@ -100,11 +100,12 @@ type DiskOptions struct {
 	VolumeType    string
 	IOPSPerGB     int64
 	// the availability zone to create volume in
-	// if nil a random zone will be used
-	AvailabilityZone *string
+	// if empty a random zone will be used
+	AvailabilityZone string
 }
 
 // EC2 abstracts aws.EC2 to facilitate its mocking.
+// See https://docs.aws.amazon.com/sdk-for-go/api/service/ec2/ for details
 type EC2 interface {
 	DescribeVolumesWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.DescribeVolumesInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.DescribeVolumesOutput, error)
 	CreateVolumeWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.CreateVolumeInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.Volume, error)
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ type EC2 interface {
 	DetachVolumeWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.DetachVolumeInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.VolumeAttachment, error)
 	AttachVolumeWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.AttachVolumeInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.VolumeAttachment, error)
 	DescribeInstancesWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.DescribeInstancesInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.DescribeInstancesOutput, error)
-	DescribeAvailabilityZones(input *ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput) (*ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput, error)
+	DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext(ctx aws.Context, input *ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput, opts ...request.Option) (*ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput, error)
 }
 
 type Cloud interface {
@@ -208,13 +209,13 @@ func (c *cloud) CreateDisk(ctx context.Context, volumeName string, diskOptions *
 		zone string
 		err  error
 	)
-	if diskOptions.AvailabilityZone == nil {
-		zone, err = c.pickRandomAvailabilityZone()
+	if diskOptions.AvailabilityZone == "" {
+		zone, err = c.pickRandomAvailabilityZone(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	} else {
-		zone = *diskOptions.AvailabilityZone
+		zone = diskOptions.AvailabilityZone
 	}
 
 	request := &ec2.CreateVolumeInput{
@@ -463,8 +464,8 @@ func (c *cloud) getInstance(ctx context.Context, nodeID string) (*ec2.Instance,
 	return instances[0], nil
 }
 
-func (c *cloud) pickRandomAvailabilityZone() (string, error) {
-	output, err := c.ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZones(&ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput{})
+func (c *cloud) pickRandomAvailabilityZone(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
+	output, err := c.ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext(ctx, &ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cloud/cloud_test.go b/pkg/cloud/cloud_test.go
index 04de2feec9..0eefe4851c 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/cloud_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/cloud_test.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func TestCreateDisk(t *testing.T) {
 			diskOptions: &DiskOptions{
 				CapacityBytes:    util.GiBToBytes(1),
 				Tags:             map[string]string{VolumeNameTagKey: "vol-test"},
-				AvailabilityZone: nil,
+				AvailabilityZone: "",
 			},
 			expDisk: &Disk{
 				VolumeID:    "vol-test",
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestCreateDisk(t *testing.T) {
 			diskOptions: &DiskOptions{
 				CapacityBytes:    util.GiBToBytes(1),
 				Tags:             map[string]string{VolumeNameTagKey: "vol-test"},
-				AvailabilityZone: stringPtr("us-west-2"),
+				AvailabilityZone: "us-west-2",
 			},
 			expDisk: &Disk{
 				VolumeID:    "vol-test",
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func TestCreateDisk(t *testing.T) {
 			diskOptions: &DiskOptions{
 				CapacityBytes:    util.GiBToBytes(1),
 				Tags:             map[string]string{VolumeNameTagKey: "vol-test"},
-				AvailabilityZone: nil,
+				AvailabilityZone: "",
 			},
 			expErr: fmt.Errorf("CreateVolume generic error"),
 		},
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestCreateDisk(t *testing.T) {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		mockEC2.EXPECT().CreateVolumeWithContext(gomock.Eq(ctx), gomock.Any()).Return(vol, tc.expErr)
 
-		if tc.diskOptions.AvailabilityZone == nil {
+		if tc.diskOptions.AvailabilityZone == "" {
 			describeAvailabilityZonesResp := &ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput{
 				AvailabilityZones: []*ec2.AvailabilityZone{
 					&ec2.AvailabilityZone{
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func TestCreateDisk(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			}
 
-			mockEC2.EXPECT().DescribeAvailabilityZones(gomock.Any()).Return(describeAvailabilityZonesResp, nil)
+			mockEC2.EXPECT().DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext(gomock.Eq(ctx), gomock.Any()).Return(describeAvailabilityZonesResp, nil)
 		}
 
 		disk, err := c.CreateDisk(ctx, tc.volumeName, tc.diskOptions)
@@ -411,7 +411,3 @@ func newDescribeInstancesOutput(nodeID string) *ec2.DescribeInstancesOutput {
 		}},
 	}
 }
-
-func stringPtr(str string) *string {
-	return &str
-}
diff --git a/pkg/cloud/mocks/mock_ec2.go b/pkg/cloud/mocks/mock_ec2.go
index 69845f6034..65637bde4a 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/mocks/mock_ec2.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/mocks/mock_ec2.go
@@ -89,17 +89,22 @@ func (mr *MockEC2MockRecorder) DeleteVolumeWithContext(arg0, arg1 interface{}, a
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "DeleteVolumeWithContext", reflect.TypeOf((*MockEC2)(nil).DeleteVolumeWithContext), varargs...)
 }
 
-// DescribeAvailabilityZones mocks base method
-func (m *MockEC2) DescribeAvailabilityZones(arg0 *ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput) (*ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput, error) {
-	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "DescribeAvailabilityZones", arg0)
+// DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext mocks base method
+func (m *MockEC2) DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext(arg0 aws.Context, arg1 *ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesInput, arg2 ...request.Option) (*ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput, error) {
+	varargs := []interface{}{arg0, arg1}
+	for _, a := range arg2 {
+		varargs = append(varargs, a)
+	}
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext", varargs...)
 	ret0, _ := ret[0].(*ec2.DescribeAvailabilityZonesOutput)
 	ret1, _ := ret[1].(error)
 	return ret0, ret1
 }
 
-// DescribeAvailabilityZones indicates an expected call of DescribeAvailabilityZones
-func (mr *MockEC2MockRecorder) DescribeAvailabilityZones(arg0 interface{}) *gomock.Call {
-	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "DescribeAvailabilityZones", reflect.TypeOf((*MockEC2)(nil).DescribeAvailabilityZones), arg0)
+// DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext indicates an expected call of DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext
+func (mr *MockEC2MockRecorder) DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext(arg0, arg1 interface{}, arg2 ...interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	varargs := append([]interface{}{arg0, arg1}, arg2...)
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext", reflect.TypeOf((*MockEC2)(nil).DescribeAvailabilityZonesWithContext), varargs...)
 }
 
 // DescribeInstancesWithContext mocks base method
diff --git a/pkg/driver/controller.go b/pkg/driver/controller.go
index 9ebc90ef85..22c059aff8 100644
--- a/pkg/driver/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/driver/controller.go
@@ -254,23 +254,24 @@ func (d *Driver) ListSnapshots(ctx context.Context, req *csi.ListSnapshotsReques
 }
 
 // pickAvailabilityZone selects 1 zone given topology requirement.
-func pickAvailabilityZone(requirement *csi.TopologyRequirement) *string {
+// if not found, empty string is returned.
+func pickAvailabilityZone(requirement *csi.TopologyRequirement) string {
 	if requirement == nil {
-		return nil
+		return ""
 	}
 	for _, topology := range requirement.GetPreferred() {
 		zone, exists := topology.GetSegments()[topologyKey]
 		if exists {
-			return &zone
+			return zone
 		}
 	}
 	for _, topology := range requirement.GetRequisite() {
 		zone, exists := topology.GetSegments()[topologyKey]
 		if exists {
-			return &zone
+			return zone
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	return ""
 }
 
 func newCreateVolumeResponse(disk *cloud.Disk) *csi.CreateVolumeResponse {
diff --git a/pkg/driver/controller_test.go b/pkg/driver/controller_test.go
index deab7a805e..28480dedae 100644
--- a/pkg/driver/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/driver/controller_test.go
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ func TestPickAvailabilityZone(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
 		name        string
 		requirement *csi.TopologyRequirement
-		expZone     *string
+		expZone     string
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "Pick from preferred",
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func TestPickAvailabilityZone(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expZone: stringPtr(expZone),
+			expZone: expZone,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Pick from requisite",
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ func TestPickAvailabilityZone(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			expZone: stringPtr(expZone),
+			expZone: expZone,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Pick from empty topology",
@@ -276,34 +276,22 @@ func TestPickAvailabilityZone(t *testing.T) {
 				Preferred: []*csi.Topology{&csi.Topology{}},
 				Requisite: []*csi.Topology{&csi.Topology{}},
 			},
-			expZone: nil,
+			expZone: "",
 		},
-
 		{
 			name:        "Topology Requirement is nil",
 			requirement: nil,
-			expZone:     nil,
+			expZone:     "",
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			actual := pickAvailabilityZone(tc.requirement)
-			if tc.expZone == nil {
-				if actual != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("Expected zone to be nil, got %v", actual)
-				}
-			} else {
-				if *actual != *tc.expZone {
-					t.Fatalf("Expected zone %v, got zone: %v", tc.expZone, actual)
-
-				}
+			if actual != tc.expZone {
+				t.Fatalf("Expected zone %v, got zone: %v", tc.expZone, actual)
 			}
 		})
 	}
 
 }
-
-func stringPtr(str string) *string {
-	return &str
-}