diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
index c56836f089d..08b3b9cc7a2 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ var (
 // time because the list never changes.
 func parseClustersToWatch() {
 	for _, ks := range clustersToWatch {
-		if strings.Contains(ks, "/") {
+		if strings.Contains(ks, "/") && !strings.HasSuffix(ks, "/") {
 			// Validate keyspace/shard parses.
 			if _, _, err := topoproto.ParseKeyspaceShard(ks); err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("Could not parse keyspace/shard %q: %+v", ks, err)
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ func parseClustersToWatch() {
 			}
 			shardsToWatch[ks] = true
 		} else {
+			// Remove trailing slash, if exists
+			if strings.HasSuffix(ks, "/") {
+				ks = strings.TrimSuffix(ks, "/")
+			}
+
 			// Assume this is a keyspace and find all shards in keyspace.
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), topo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
 			defer cancel()
diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
index ac7bc26bf86..a03f69906a4 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/tablet_discovery_test.go
@@ -132,12 +132,10 @@ func TestParseClustersToWatch(t *testing.T) {
 			expected: map[string]bool{},
 		},
 		{
-			in:       []string{"test/"},
-			expected: map[string]bool{"test/": true},
-		},
-		{
-			in:       []string{"test/-"},
-			expected: map[string]bool{"test/-": true},
+			in: []string{"test/-"},
+			expected: map[string]bool{
+				"test/-": true,
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			in: []string{"test/-", "test2/-80", "test2/80-"},
@@ -154,6 +152,13 @@ func TestParseClustersToWatch(t *testing.T) {
 				topoproto.KeyspaceShardString(keyspace, shard): true,
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			// confirm shards fetch from topo when keyspace has trailing-slash
+			in: []string{keyspace + "/"},
+			expected: map[string]bool{
+				topoproto.KeyspaceShardString(keyspace, shard): true,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, testCase := range testCases {