diff --git a/packages/gotrue/example/main.dart b/packages/gotrue/example/main.dart
index aef001b14..957855def 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/example/main.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/example/main.dart
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ Future<void> main() async {
       'Authorization': 'Bearer $supabaseKey',
       'apikey': supabaseKey,
     },
+    // The pkce flow needs somewhere to keep its code verifiers. Swap this for
+    // a persistent storage when the code exchange can happen after a restart.
+    asyncStorage: MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage(),
   );
 
   try {
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/lib/src/gotrue_client.dart b/packages/gotrue/lib/src/gotrue_client.dart
index 52856cfd8..ff5583103 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/lib/src/gotrue_client.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/lib/src/gotrue_client.dart
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ class _SessionState {
 /// [httpClient] custom http client.
 ///
 /// [asyncStorage] local storage to store pkce code verifiers. Required when
-/// using the pkce flow.
+/// using the pkce flow. Pass a [MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage] when the verifiers
+/// do not need to outlive the process.
 ///
 /// Set [flowType] to [AuthFlowType.implicit] to perform old implicit auth flow.
 /// {@endtemplate}
@@ -156,7 +157,13 @@ class GoTrueClient {
     Client? httpClient,
     GotrueAsyncStorage? asyncStorage,
     AuthFlowType flowType = AuthFlowType.pkce,
-  }) : _url = url ?? Constants.defaultGotrueUrl,
+  }) : assert(
+         flowType != AuthFlowType.pkce || asyncStorage != null,
+         'You need to provide asyncStorage to perform pkce flow. Pass a '
+         'MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage when the code verifiers do not need to '
+         'outlive the process.',
+       ),
+       _url = url ?? Constants.defaultGotrueUrl,
        _headers = {...Constants.defaultHeaders, ...?headers},
        _httpClient = httpClient,
        _asyncStorage = asyncStorage,
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/lib/src/types/gotrue_async_storage.dart b/packages/gotrue/lib/src/types/gotrue_async_storage.dart
index 29ce2b15d..864eca3a5 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/lib/src/types/gotrue_async_storage.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/lib/src/types/gotrue_async_storage.dart
@@ -14,3 +14,26 @@ abstract class GotrueAsyncStorage {
   /// Removes an item asynchronously from the storage for the given key.
   Future<void> removeItem({required String key});
 }
+
+/// A [GotrueAsyncStorage] that keeps the pkce code verifiers in memory only.
+///
+/// Everything it holds is lost when the process exits, so a pkce flow started
+/// before a restart can no longer be completed. Use a persistent
+/// implementation when the code exchange happens after the app was closed,
+/// which is what `supabase_flutter` does with shared preferences.
+class MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage extends GotrueAsyncStorage {
+  final _items = <String, String>{};
+
+  @override
+  Future<String?> getItem({required String key}) async => _items[key];
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> setItem({required String key, required String value}) async {
+    _items[key] = value;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Future<void> removeItem({required String key}) async {
+    _items.remove(key);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_delete_user_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_delete_user_test.dart
index 5dcecc651..07909ff33 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_delete_user_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_delete_user_test.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import 'package:gotrue/gotrue.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
+import 'utils.dart';
+
 class _CapturingHttpClient extends BaseClient {
   Request? lastRequest;
 
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ void main() {
     client = GoTrueClient(
       url: 'http://localhost:9999',
       httpClient: httpClient,
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_list_users_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_list_users_test.dart
index 7db2b53ad..183bd6474 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_list_users_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_list_users_test.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import 'package:gotrue/gotrue.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
+import 'utils.dart';
+
 /// Serves a fixed list-users response with the pagination headers the GoTrue
 /// server sends alongside it.
 class ListUsersMockClient extends BaseClient {
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ void main() {
   GoTrueClient clientWith(ListUsersMockClient mockClient) => GoTrueClient(
     url: 'http://localhost:9999',
     httpClient: mockClient,
+    asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
   );
 
   test('listUsers() returns the metadata of a middle page', () async {
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_test.dart
index 44febb805..3093afa0f 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/admin_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/admin_test.dart
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ void main() {
         'Authorization': 'Bearer ${getServiceRoleToken(env)}',
         'apikey': getServiceRoleToken(env),
       },
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/client_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/client_test.dart
index a1200155c..8c05a9047 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/client_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/client_test.dart
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ void main() {
       final newClient = GoTrueClient(
         url: gotrueUrl,
         headers: {'apikey': anonToken},
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
       );
 
       expect(newClient.currentSession?.refreshToken ?? '', isEmpty);
@@ -314,6 +315,7 @@ void main() {
         final newClient = GoTrueClient(
           url: gotrueUrl,
           headers: {'apikey': anonToken},
+          asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
         );
 
         expect(newClient.currentSession, isNull);
@@ -357,6 +359,7 @@ void main() {
         final newClient = GoTrueClient(
           url: gotrueUrl,
           headers: {'apikey': anonToken},
+          asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
         );
 
         // Should fall back to _callRefreshToken and succeed.
@@ -408,6 +411,7 @@ void main() {
         final newClient = GoTrueClient(
           url: gotrueUrl,
           headers: {'apikey': anonToken},
+          asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
         );
 
         expect(newClient.currentSession, isNull);
@@ -643,7 +647,11 @@ void main() {
     late GoTrueClient client;
 
     setUpAll(() {
-      client = GoTrueClient(url: gotrueUrl, httpClient: CustomHttpClient());
+      client = GoTrueClient(
+        url: gotrueUrl,
+        httpClient: CustomHttpClient(),
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
+      );
     });
 
     test('signIn()', () async {
@@ -673,7 +681,11 @@ void main() {
 
     setUpAll(() {
       httpClient = RetryTestHttpClient();
-      client = GoTrueClient(url: gotrueUrl, httpClient: httpClient);
+      client = GoTrueClient(
+        url: gotrueUrl,
+        httpClient: httpClient,
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
+      );
     });
 
     test('Session recovery succeeds after retries', () async {
@@ -931,6 +943,32 @@ void main() {
       },
     );
   });
+
+  group('Constructing a client without an asyncStorage', () {
+    test('asserts when the pkce flow is used', () {
+      expect(
+        () => GoTrueClient(url: gotrueUrl, headers: {'apikey': anonToken}),
+        throwsA(
+          isA<AssertionError>().having(
+            (error) => error.message,
+            'message',
+            contains('You need to provide asyncStorage to perform pkce flow.'),
+          ),
+        ),
+      );
+    });
+
+    test('is allowed when the implicit flow is used', () {
+      expect(
+        () => GoTrueClient(
+          url: gotrueUrl,
+          headers: {'apikey': anonToken},
+          flowType: AuthFlowType.implicit,
+        ),
+        returnsNormally,
+      );
+    });
+  });
 }
 
 /// Reads the email-change confirmation link that GoTrue delivered to
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/header_isolation_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/header_isolation_test.dart
index bffdf7890..cb7cc44f7 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/header_isolation_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/header_isolation_test.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import 'package:gotrue/gotrue.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
+import 'utils.dart';
+
 /// Records the headers of every request it receives and always answers with a
 /// minimal user payload, so we can inspect what the client actually sent.
 class _RecordingHttpClient extends BaseClient {
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ void main() {
         url: 'http://localhost',
         headers: {'apikey': 'anon-key'},
         httpClient: http,
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/memory_async_storage_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/memory_async_storage_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ea9f00ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/memory_async_storage_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import 'package:gotrue/gotrue.dart';
+import 'package:test/test.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  late MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage storage;
+
+  setUp(() {
+    storage = MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage();
+  });
+
+  test('returns null for a key that was never stored', () async {
+    expect(await storage.getItem(key: 'code-verifier'), isNull);
+  });
+
+  test('returns the value that was stored last', () async {
+    await storage.setItem(key: 'code-verifier', value: 'first');
+    await storage.setItem(key: 'code-verifier', value: 'second');
+
+    expect(await storage.getItem(key: 'code-verifier'), 'second');
+  });
+
+  test('forgets a removed key', () async {
+    await storage.setItem(key: 'code-verifier', value: 'value');
+    await storage.removeItem(key: 'code-verifier');
+
+    expect(await storage.getItem(key: 'code-verifier'), isNull);
+  });
+
+  test('keeps the entries of two instances apart', () async {
+    await storage.setItem(key: 'code-verifier', value: 'value');
+
+    final other = MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage();
+
+    expect(await other.getItem(key: 'code-verifier'), isNull);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/mfa_enroll_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/mfa_enroll_test.dart
index 97a16008a..87dd4fffc 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/mfa_enroll_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/mfa_enroll_test.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import 'package:gotrue/gotrue.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart';
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
+import 'utils.dart';
+
 /// Records the body of every request it receives and answers with a minimal
 /// enroll payload, so we can inspect what the client actually sent without a
 /// live server.
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ void main() {
         url: 'http://localhost',
         headers: {'apikey': 'anon-key'},
         httpClient: http,
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_custom_providers_api_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_custom_providers_api_test.dart
index ad00d2f9f..731766d02 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_custom_providers_api_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_custom_providers_api_test.dart
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ void main() {
         'apikey': serviceRoleToken,
         'x-forwarded-for': '127.0.0.1',
       },
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_mfa_api_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_mfa_api_test.dart
index 5dd2ba75f..29f952439 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_mfa_api_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_mfa_api_test.dart
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ void main() {
         'apikey': serviceRoleToken,
         'x-forwarded-for': '127.0.0.1',
       },
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_oauth_api_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_oauth_api_test.dart
index 3029a12f8..9af97d8da 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_oauth_api_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_admin_oauth_api_test.dart
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ void main() {
         'apikey': serviceRoleToken,
         'x-forwarded-for': '127.0.0.1',
       },
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_mfa_api_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_mfa_api_test.dart
index 139121e50..13a4eec07 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_mfa_api_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_mfa_api_test.dart
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ void main() {
           'apikey': anonToken,
           'x-forwarded-for': '127.0.0.1',
         },
+        asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_oauth_api_test.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_oauth_api_test.dart
index 8ab8135fc..e77e8bbdc 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_oauth_api_test.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/src/gotrue_oauth_api_test.dart
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ class GotrueOauthApiFixture {
         'apikey': _serviceRoleToken,
         'x-forwarded-for': '127.0.0.1',
       },
+      asyncStorage: TestAsyncStorage(),
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/gotrue/test/utils.dart b/packages/gotrue/test/utils.dart
index 2775c393f..e99ce0b9d 100644
--- a/packages/gotrue/test/utils.dart
+++ b/packages/gotrue/test/utils.dart
@@ -81,20 +81,4 @@ const sessionDataUserId = '4d2583da-8de4-49d3-9cd1-37a9a74f55bd';
   return (accessToken: accessToken, sessionString: sessionString);
 }
 
-class TestAsyncStorage extends GotrueAsyncStorage {
-  final Map<String, String> _map = {};
-  @override
-  Future<String?> getItem({required String key}) async {
-    return _map[key];
-  }
-
-  @override
-  Future<void> removeItem({required String key}) async {
-    _map.remove(key);
-  }
-
-  @override
-  Future<void> setItem({required String key, required String value}) async {
-    _map[key] = value;
-  }
-}
+class TestAsyncStorage extends MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage {}
diff --git a/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client.dart b/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client.dart
index ab9c132cc..67a8ecf41 100644
--- a/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client.dart
+++ b/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client.dart
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ import 'trace_http_client.dart';
 /// Pass an instance of `YAJsonIsolate` to [isolate] to use your own persisted
 /// isolate instance. A new instance will be created if [isolate] is omitted.
 ///
-/// Pass an instance of `GotrueAsyncStorage` to the `pkceAsyncStorage` field of
-/// [authOptions] and set its `authFlowType` field to `AuthFlowType.pkce` in
-/// order to perform auth actions with pkce flow.
+/// The pkce flow is used by default. It stores its code verifiers in
+/// `AuthClientOptions.pkceAsyncStorage`, which falls back to an in-memory
+/// storage when none is given.
 /// {@endtemplate}
 class SupabaseClient {
   final String _supabaseKey;
@@ -331,7 +331,11 @@ class SupabaseClient {
       headers: authHeaders,
       autoRefreshToken: autoRefreshToken,
       httpClient: _gotrueHttpClient,
-      asyncStorage: gotrueAsyncStorage,
+      asyncStorage:
+          gotrueAsyncStorage ??
+          (authFlowType == AuthFlowType.pkce
+              ? MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage()
+              : null),
       flowType: authFlowType,
     );
   }
diff --git a/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client_options.dart b/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client_options.dart
index 5079ecbd3..cd13c7de1 100644
--- a/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client_options.dart
+++ b/packages/supabase/lib/src/supabase_client_options.dart
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ class PostgrestClientOptions {
 
 class AuthClientOptions {
   final bool autoRefreshToken;
+
+  /// Storage for the code verifiers of the pkce flow.
+  ///
+  /// Defaults to a [MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage], which only supports flows that
+  /// start and complete within the same process. Pass a persistent
+  /// implementation when the code is exchanged after a restart, which is what
+  /// `supabase_flutter` does with shared preferences.
   final GotrueAsyncStorage? pkceAsyncStorage;
   final AuthFlowType authFlowType;
 
diff --git a/packages/supabase/test/client_test.dart b/packages/supabase/test/client_test.dart
index 8a62859ac..5b8a5983f 100644
--- a/packages/supabase/test/client_test.dart
+++ b/packages/supabase/test/client_test.dart
@@ -183,6 +183,17 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   group('auth', () {
+    test('the pkce flow works without passing a pkceAsyncStorage', () async {
+      final supabase = SupabaseClient('http://localhost:1', 'supabaseKey');
+      addTearDown(supabase.dispose);
+
+      final response = await supabase.auth.getOAuthSignInUrl(
+        provider: OAuthProvider.github,
+      );
+
+      expect(response.url, contains('code_challenge='));
+    });
+
     test('properly set Authorization header', () async {
       final (:sessionString, :accessToken) = getSessionData(
         DateTime.now().add(Duration(hours: 1)),
diff --git a/sdk-compliance.yaml b/sdk-compliance.yaml
index 70c0d4dda..64552f238 100644
--- a/sdk-compliance.yaml
+++ b/sdk-compliance.yaml
@@ -1982,6 +1982,7 @@ features:
     symbols:
       - GotrueAsyncStorage
       - LocalStorage
+      - MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage
     supporting_symbols:
       - AuthClientOptions.pkceAsyncStorage
       - EmptyLocalStorage
@@ -2002,6 +2003,9 @@ features:
       - LocalStorage.initialize
       - LocalStorage.persistSession
       - LocalStorage.removePersistedSession
+      - MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage.getItem
+      - MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage.removeItem
+      - MemoryGotrueAsyncStorage.setItem
       - SharedPreferencesGotrueAsyncStorage
       - SharedPreferencesGotrueAsyncStorage.SharedPreferencesGotrueAsyncStorage
       - SharedPreferencesGotrueAsyncStorage.getItem