diff --git a/ydb/driver.py b/ydb/driver.py
index fa116fe3..49bd223c 100644
--- a/ydb/driver.py
+++ b/ydb/driver.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import logging
 import os
 from typing import Any  # noqa
-from typing import Optional
 
 from . import credentials as credentials_impl, table, scheme, pool
 from . import tracing
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         """
         self.endpoint = endpoint
-        self.database = self._maybe_add_slash(database)
+        self.database = database
         self.ca_cert = ca_cert
         self.channel_options = channel_options
         self.secure_channel = _utilities.is_secure_protocol(endpoint)
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.compression = compression
 
     def set_database(self, database):
-        self.database = self._maybe_add_slash(database)
+        self.database = database
         return self
 
     @classmethod
@@ -207,15 +206,6 @@ def _update_attrs_by_kwargs(self, **kwargs):
                     )
                 setattr(self, key, value)
 
-    def _maybe_add_slash(self, database: Optional[str]) -> Optional[str]:
-        if not database:
-            return database
-
-        if database.startswith("/"):
-            return database
-
-        return f"/{database}"
-
 
 ConnectionParams = DriverConfig