diff --git a/google/oauth2/service_account.py b/google/oauth2/service_account.py
index 803b13070..2b5e0d390 100644
--- a/google/oauth2/service_account.py
+++ b/google/oauth2/service_account.py
@@ -417,13 +417,11 @@ def _metric_header_for_usage(self):
 
     @_helpers.copy_docstring(credentials.Credentials)
     def refresh(self, request):
-        if (
-            self._universe_domain != _DEFAULT_UNIVERSE_DOMAIN
-            and not self._jwt_credentials
-        ):
-            raise exceptions.RefreshError(
-                "self._jwt_credentials is missing for non-default universe domain"
-            )
+        if self._always_use_jwt_access and not self._jwt_credentials:
+            # If self signed jwt should be used but jwt credential is not
+            # created, try to create one with scopes
+            self._create_self_signed_jwt(None)
+
         if self._universe_domain != _DEFAULT_UNIVERSE_DOMAIN and self._subject:
             raise exceptions.RefreshError(
                 "domain wide delegation is not supported for non-default universe domain"
diff --git a/system_tests/secrets.tar.enc b/system_tests/secrets.tar.enc
index 329b32dca..966e9f8b2 100644
Binary files a/system_tests/secrets.tar.enc and b/system_tests/secrets.tar.enc differ
diff --git a/tests/oauth2/test_service_account.py b/tests/oauth2/test_service_account.py
index b963b157c..f9e0c1186 100644
--- a/tests/oauth2/test_service_account.py
+++ b/tests/oauth2/test_service_account.py
@@ -557,12 +557,16 @@ def test_refresh_jwt_not_used_for_domain_wide_delegation(
         assert jwt_grant.called
         assert not self_signed_jwt_refresh.called
 
-    def test_refresh_non_gdu_missing_jwt_credentials(self):
-        credentials = self.make_credentials(universe_domain="foo")
+    def test_refresh_missing_jwt_credentials(self):
+        credentials = self.make_credentials()
+        credentials = credentials.with_scopes(["foo", "bar"])
+        credentials = credentials.with_always_use_jwt_access(True)
+        assert not credentials._jwt_credentials
 
-        with pytest.raises(exceptions.RefreshError) as excinfo:
-            credentials.refresh(None)
-        assert excinfo.match("self._jwt_credentials is missing")
+        credentials.refresh(mock.Mock())
+
+        # jwt credentials should have been automatically created with scopes
+        assert credentials._jwt_credentials is not None
 
     def test_refresh_non_gdu_domain_wide_delegation_not_supported(self):
         credentials = self.make_credentials(universe_domain="foo")