diff --git a/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/response.rb b/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/response.rb
index 0eb79c740..c78946f23 100644
--- a/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/response.rb
+++ b/lib/onelogin/ruby-saml/response.rb
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ def destination
       def audiences
         @audiences ||= begin
           nodes = xpath_from_signed_assertion('/a:Conditions/a:AudienceRestriction/a:Audience')
-          nodes.map { |node| Utils.element_text(node) }.compact
+          nodes.map { |node| Utils.element_text(node) }.reject(&:empty?)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/test/response_test.rb b/test/response_test.rb
index 2b3121d4c..28314d61b 100644
--- a/test/response_test.rb
+++ b/test/response_test.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class RubySamlTest < Minitest::Test
     let(:response_encrypted_attrs) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(response_document_encrypted_attrs) }
     let(:response_no_signed_elements) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_invalid_response("no_signature.xml.base64")) }
     let(:response_multiple_signed) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_invalid_response("multiple_signed.xml.base64")) }
+    let(:response_audience_self_closed) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_response("response_audience_self_closed_tag.xml.base64")) }
     let(:response_invalid_audience) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_invalid_response("invalid_audience.xml.base64")) }
     let(:response_invalid_signed_element) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_invalid_response("response_invalid_signed_element.xml.base64")) }
     let(:response_invalid_issuer_assertion) { OneLogin::RubySaml::Response.new(read_invalid_response("invalid_issuer_assertion.xml.base64")) }
@@ -428,6 +429,13 @@ class RubySamlTest < Minitest::Test
         assert_empty response.errors
       end
 
+      it "return true when the audience is self closing" do
+        response_audience_self_closed.settings = settings
+        response_audience_self_closed.settings.issuer = '{audience}'
+        assert response_audience_self_closed.send(:validate_audience)
+        assert_empty response_audience_self_closed.errors
+      end
+
       it "return false when the audience is valid" do
         response.settings = settings
         response.settings.issuer = 'invalid_audience'
diff --git a/test/responses/response_audience_self_closed_tag.xml.base64 b/test/responses/response_audience_self_closed_tag.xml.base64
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bac221e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/responses/response_audience_self_closed_tag.xml.base64
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
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