diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index afb36996..b041a208 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ function parse(str) {
     return config;
   }
   config.host = result.hostname;
-  config.database = result.pathname ? decodeURI(result.pathname.slice(1)) : null;
+
+  // result.pathname is not always guaranteed to have a '/' prefix (e.g. relative urls)
+  // only strip the slash if it is present.
+  var pathname = result.pathname;
+  if (pathname && pathname.charAt(0) === '/') {
+    pathname = result.pathname.slice(1) || null;
+  }
+  config.database = pathname && decodeURI(pathname);
+
   var auth = (result.auth || ':').split(':');
   config.user = auth[0];
   config.password = auth[1];
diff --git a/test/parse.js b/test/parse.js
index 1b9b203c..89269429 100644
--- a/test/parse.js
+++ b/test/parse.js
@@ -87,3 +87,26 @@ test('url is properly encoded', function(t){
   t.equal(subject.database, ' u%20rl');
   t.end();
 });
+
+test('relative url sets database', function(t){
+  var relative = 'different_db_on_default_host';
+  var subject = parse(relative);
+  t.equal(subject.database, 'different_db_on_default_host');
+  t.end();
+});
+
+test('no pathname returns null database', function (t) {
+  var subject = parse('pg://myhost');
+  t.equal(subject.host, 'myhost');
+  t.type(subject.database, 'null');
+
+  t.end();
+});
+
+test('pathname of "/" returns null database', function (t) {
+  var subject = parse('pg://myhost/');
+  t.equal(subject.host, 'myhost');
+  t.type(subject.database, 'null');
+
+  t.end();
+});