diff --git a/.changeset/sharp-donkeys-push.md b/.changeset/sharp-donkeys-push.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd6304118e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/sharp-donkeys-push.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+'@backstage/create-app': patch
+---
+
+Removed the `/` prefix in the catalog `SidebarItem` element, as it is no longer needed.
+
+To apply this change to an existing app, remove the `/` prefix from the catalog and any other sidebar items in `packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.ts`:
+
+```diff
+-<SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="/catalog" text="Home" />
++<SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="catalog" text="Home" />
+```
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
index 48141e4f53..7a666a020a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export const Root = ({ children }: PropsWithChildren<{}>) => (
       <SidebarSearch />
       <SidebarDivider />
       {/* Global nav, not org-specific */}
-      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="/catalog" text="Home" />
+      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="catalog" text="Home" />
       <SidebarItem icon={ExtensionIcon} to="api-docs" text="APIs" />
       <SidebarItem icon={LibraryBooks} to="docs" text="Docs" />
       <SidebarItem icon={LayersIcon} to="explore" text="Explore" />
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
index d8665a2f9b..198e7ec2b1 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export const Root = ({ children }: PropsWithChildren<{}>) => (
       <SidebarSearch />
       <SidebarDivider />
       {/* Global nav, not org-specific */}
-      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="/catalog" text="Home" />
+      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="catalog" text="Home" />
       <SidebarItem icon={ExtensionIcon} to="api-docs" text="APIs" />
       <SidebarItem icon={LibraryBooks} to="docs" text="Docs" />
       <SidebarItem icon={CreateComponentIcon} to="create" text="Create..." />
diff --git a/plugins/catalog/README.md b/plugins/catalog/README.md
index 8527c8da7c..ef7b0a2863 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog/README.md
+++ b/plugins/catalog/README.md
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ sidebar:
 export const Root = ({ children }: PropsWithChildren<{}>) => (
   <SidebarPage>
     <Sidebar>
-+      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="/catalog" text="Home" />
++      <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="catalog" text="Home" />
       ...
     </Sidebar>
 ```