diff --git a/src/main/java/mousio/etcd4j/requests/EtcdKeyRequest.java b/src/main/java/mousio/etcd4j/requests/EtcdKeyRequest.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/main/java/mousio/etcd4j/requests/EtcdKeyRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/mousio/etcd4j/requests/EtcdKeyRequest.java
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ public class EtcdKeyRequest extends EtcdRequest<EtcdKeysResponse> {
    * @return EtcdKeysRequest for chaining
    */
   public EtcdKeyRequest setKey(String key) {
+    if (key.startsWith("/")){
+      key = key.substring(1);
+    }
     this.key = key;
     return this;
   }
leading slash leads to unnecessary  redirects