diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/operation.hpp b/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/operation.hpp
index e9567a7ad..cfd3c32f4 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/operation.hpp
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/operation.hpp
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Core {
 
     /**
      * @brief Get the raw HTTP response.
-     * @return A pointer to #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
+     * @return A reference to an #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
      * @note Does not give up ownership of the RawResponse.
      */
-    virtual Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse* GetRawResponse() const = 0;
+    virtual Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse const& GetRawResponse() const = 0;
 
     /**
      * @brief Returns the current #Azure::Core::OperationStatus of the long-running operation.
diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/response.hpp b/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/response.hpp
index 760b5c5d6..759c40c3c 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/response.hpp
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/inc/azure/core/response.hpp
@@ -48,9 +48,10 @@ public:
   }
 
   /**
-   * @brief Get raw HTTP response.
+   * @brief Get the raw HTTP response.
+   * @return A reference to an #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
+   * @note Does not give up ownership of the RawResponse.
    */
-  // Do not give up raw response ownership.
   Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse& GetRawResponse() const
   {
     if (!m_rawResponse)
diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/test/ut/operation_test.hpp b/sdk/core/azure-core/test/ut/operation_test.hpp
index 08c38a4b4..8e035d9b5 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/test/ut/operation_test.hpp
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/test/ut/operation_test.hpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Core { namespace Test {
     }
 
   public:
-    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse* GetRawResponse() const override { return m_rawResponse.get(); }
+    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse const& GetRawResponse() const override { return *m_rawResponse; }
 
     std::string GetResumeToken() const override { return m_operationToken; }
 
diff --git a/sdk/keyvault/azure-security-keyvault-keys/inc/azure/keyvault/keys/delete_key_operation.hpp b/sdk/keyvault/azure-security-keyvault-keys/inc/azure/keyvault/keys/delete_key_operation.hpp
index e6786229f..237514682 100644
--- a/sdk/keyvault/azure-security-keyvault-keys/inc/azure/keyvault/keys/delete_key_operation.hpp
+++ b/sdk/keyvault/azure-security-keyvault-keys/inc/azure/keyvault/keys/delete_key_operation.hpp
@@ -79,9 +79,10 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Security { namespace KeyVault { namespace Keys {
   public:
     /**
      * @brief Get the #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse of the operation request.
-     * @return A pointer to #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse or null.
+     * @return A reference to an #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
+     * @note Does not give up ownership of the RawResponse.
      */
-    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse* GetRawResponse() const override { return m_rawResponse.get(); }
+    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse const& GetRawResponse() const override { return *m_rawResponse; }
 
     /**
      * @brief Get the #Azure::Security::KeyVault::Keys::DeletedKey object.
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/inc/azure/storage/blobs/blob_responses.hpp b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/inc/azure/storage/blobs/blob_responses.hpp
index 81ec3703b..3be8e5f78 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/inc/azure/storage/blobs/blob_responses.hpp
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/inc/azure/storage/blobs/blob_responses.hpp
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Storage { namespace Blobs {
 
     /**
      * @brief Get the raw HTTP response.
-     * @return A pointer to #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
+     * @return A reference to an #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
      * @note Does not give up ownership of the RawResponse.
      */
-    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse* GetRawResponse() const override { return m_rawResponse.get(); }
+    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse const& GetRawResponse() const override { return *m_rawResponse; }
 
     StartCopyBlobOperation() = default;
 
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/block_blob_client_test.cpp b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/block_blob_client_test.cpp
index 566f37eed..398c7c795 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/block_blob_client_test.cpp
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/block_blob_client_test.cpp
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Storage { namespace Test {
   {
     auto blobClient = m_blobContainerClient->GetBlobClient(RandomString());
     auto res = blobClient.StartCopyFromUri(m_blockBlobClient->GetUrl());
-    EXPECT_NE(res.GetRawResponse(), nullptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(res.GetRawResponse().GetStatusCode(), Azure::Core::Http::HttpStatusCode::Accepted);
     EXPECT_FALSE(res.RequestId.empty());
     EXPECT_TRUE(res.ETag.HasValue());
     EXPECT_TRUE(IsValidTime(res.LastModified));
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/page_blob_client_test.cpp b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/page_blob_client_test.cpp
index 74013fea9..7870d881b 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/page_blob_client_test.cpp
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blobs/test/ut/page_blob_client_test.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Storage { namespace Test {
     Azure::Core::Url sourceUri(m_pageBlobClient->WithSnapshot(snapshot).GetUrl());
     sourceUri.AppendQueryParameters(GetSas());
     auto copyInfo = pageBlobClient.StartCopyIncremental(sourceUri.GetAbsoluteUrl());
-    EXPECT_NE(copyInfo.GetRawResponse(), nullptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(
+        copyInfo.GetRawResponse().GetStatusCode(), Azure::Core::Http::HttpStatusCode::Accepted);
     EXPECT_FALSE(copyInfo.RequestId.empty());
     EXPECT_TRUE(copyInfo.ETag.HasValue());
     EXPECT_TRUE(IsValidTime(copyInfo.LastModified));
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/inc/azure/storage/files/shares/share_responses.hpp b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/inc/azure/storage/files/shares/share_responses.hpp
index 5c60c3d90..30c94d46b 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/inc/azure/storage/files/shares/share_responses.hpp
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/inc/azure/storage/files/shares/share_responses.hpp
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Storage { namespace Files { namespace Shares {
 
     /**
      * @brief Get the raw HTTP response.
-     * @return A pointer to #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
+     * @return A reference to an #Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse.
      * @note Does not give up ownership of the RawResponse.
      */
-    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse* GetRawResponse() const override { return m_rawResponse.get(); }
+    Azure::Core::Http::RawResponse const& GetRawResponse() const override { return *m_rawResponse; }
 
     StartCopyShareFileOperation() = default;
 
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/test/share_file_client_test.cpp b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/test/share_file_client_test.cpp
index 005a946f6..0a2ad117c 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/test/share_file_client_test.cpp
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-files-shares/test/share_file_client_test.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,9 @@ namespace Azure { namespace Storage { namespace Test {
       auto destFileClient
           = m_shareClient->GetRootDirectoryClient().GetFileClient(LowercaseRandomString(10));
       auto copyOperation = destFileClient.StartCopy(fileClient.GetUrl());
-      EXPECT_NE(copyOperation.GetRawResponse(), nullptr);
+      EXPECT_EQ(
+          copyOperation.GetRawResponse().GetStatusCode(),
+          Azure::Core::Http::HttpStatusCode::Accepted);
       EXPECT_FALSE(copyOperation.RequestId.empty());
       EXPECT_TRUE(copyOperation.ETag.HasValue());
       EXPECT_TRUE(IsValidTime(copyOperation.LastModified));