diff --git a/pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py b/pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py
index 83f630956..ec32360ae 100644
--- a/pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py
+++ b/pypdf/generic/_data_structures.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def _to_lst(self, lst: Any) -> list[Any]:
         elif isinstance(lst, PdfObject):
             result = [lst]
         elif isinstance(lst, str):
-            if lst[0] == "/":
+            if lst.startswith("/"):
                 result = [NameObject(lst)]
             else:
                 result = [TextStringObject(lst)]