diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/CHANGELOG.md b/sdk/core/azure-core/CHANGELOG.md
index 74886f2a0cb8..06d2f6fb361d 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,13 +8,15 @@
 
 ### Bugs Fixed
 
+- Fixed `PipelineClient.format_url` to preserve the leading slash when the URL template starts with `/?`. #45218
+
 ### Other Changes
 
 ## 1.38.1 (2026-02-10)
 
 ### Bugs Fixed
 
-- Fixed `PipelineClient.format_url` to avoid adding trailing slashes when the URL template contains only query parameters.  #45044
+- Fixed `PipelineClient.format_url` to avoid adding trailing slashes when the URL template contains only query parameters. #45044
 
 ## 1.38.0 (2026-01-12)
 
diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/azure/core/pipeline/transport/_base.py b/sdk/core/azure-core/azure/core/pipeline/transport/_base.py
index ec7d5bc5fa85..6e33aa77df73 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/azure/core/pipeline/transport/_base.py
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/azure/core/pipeline/transport/_base.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def _urljoin(base_url: str, stub_url: str) -> str:
     # https://docs.python.org/3/library/collections.html?highlight=namedtuple#collections.namedtuple
     if stub_url_path:
         parsed_base_url = parsed_base_url._replace(
-            path=parsed_base_url.path.rstrip("/") + "/" + stub_url_path,
+            path=parsed_base_url.path.rstrip("/") + "/" + stub_url_path.lstrip("/"),
         )
     if stub_url_query:
         query_params = [stub_url_query]
@@ -662,7 +662,6 @@ def format_url(self, url_template: str, **kwargs: Any) -> str:
         if url:
             parsed = urlparse(url)
             if not parsed.scheme or not parsed.netloc:
-                url = url.lstrip("/")
                 try:
                     base = self._base_url.format(**kwargs).rstrip("/")
                 except KeyError as key:
diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_basic_transport.py b/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_basic_transport.py
index ba3a9d35ed14..2803e791d4ea 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_basic_transport.py
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_basic_transport.py
@@ -128,9 +128,16 @@ def test_http_request_serialization(http_request):
 
 def test_url_join():
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "?testdir") == "devstoreaccount1?testdir"
+    assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "?testdir=foo") == "devstoreaccount1?testdir=foo"
+    assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1/api", "?a=1") == "devstoreaccount1/api?a=1"
+    assert (
+        _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "/?restype=service&comp=properties")
+        == "devstoreaccount1/?restype=service&comp=properties"
+    )
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "") == "devstoreaccount1"
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "testdir/") == "devstoreaccount1/testdir/"
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1/", "") == "devstoreaccount1/"
+    assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1/", "/testdir/") == "devstoreaccount1/testdir/"
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1/", "testdir/") == "devstoreaccount1/testdir/"
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1?a=1", "testdir/") == "devstoreaccount1/testdir/?a=1"
     assert _urljoin("devstoreaccount1", "testdir/?b=2") == "devstoreaccount1/testdir/?b=2"
diff --git a/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_pipeline.py b/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_pipeline.py
index 89ca3b5a5599..5612b8b2a45f 100644
--- a/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_pipeline.py
+++ b/sdk/core/azure-core/tests/test_pipeline.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 from azure.core.configuration import Configuration
 from azure.core.pipeline import Pipeline
+from azure.core.rest import HttpRequest
 from azure.core import PipelineClient
 from azure.core.pipeline.policies import (
     SansIOHTTPPolicy,
@@ -206,6 +207,39 @@ def test_format_url_double_query():
     assert formatted == "https://bing.com/path/subpath?query=testvalue&x=2ndvalue&a=X&c=Y"
 
 
+def test_format_url_query_strings():
+    client = PipelineClientBase("https://foo.core.windows.net")
+    formatted = client.format_url("/")
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net/"
+
+    formatted = client.format_url("/?a=X&c=Y")
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net/?a=X&c=Y"
+
+    formatted = client.format_url("?a=X&c=Y")
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net?a=X&c=Y"
+
+    formatted = client.format_url("/Tables/?a=X&c=Y")
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net/Tables/?a=X&c=Y"
+
+    formatted = client.format_url("/Tables?a=X&c=Y")
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net/Tables?a=X&c=Y"
+
+
+def test_format_url_from_http_request():
+    client = PipelineClientBase("https://foo.core.windows.net")
+
+    _url = "/"
+    _params = {"foo": "bar"}
+    request = HttpRequest("GET", _url, params=_params)
+    formatted = client.format_url(request.url)
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net/?foo=bar"
+
+    _url = "?restype=service&comp=properties"
+    request = HttpRequest("GET", _url)
+    formatted = client.format_url(request.url)
+    assert formatted == "https://foo.core.windows.net?restype=service&comp=properties"
+
+
 def test_format_url_braces_with_dot():
     base_url = "https://bing.com/{aaa.bbb}"
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
diff --git a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/assets.json b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/assets.json
index 83cda58a3028..46f7ffdc3c73 100644
--- a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/assets.json
+++ b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/assets.json
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
   "AssetsRepo": "Azure/azure-sdk-assets",
   "AssetsRepoPrefixPath": "python",
   "TagPrefix": "python/tables/azure-data-tables",
-  "Tag": "python/tables/azure-data-tables_afc53b2631"
+  "Tag": "python/tables/azure-data-tables_48a9914a75"
 }
diff --git a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties.py b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties.py
index dbc127e9c434..4c97fbc484b6 100644
--- a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties.py
+++ b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 import time
 import pytest
-from packaging.version import Version
 
 from devtools_testutils import AzureRecordedTestCase, recorded_by_proxy
 
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@
     TableRetentionPolicy,
     TableCorsRule,
 )
-from azure.core import VERSION as core_version
 from azure.core.exceptions import ResourceNotFoundError, HttpResponseError
 
 from _shared.testcase import TableTestCase
@@ -184,18 +182,15 @@ def test_client_with_url_ends_with_table_name(
         assert ("table specified does not exist") in str(exc.value)
         assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
-        # Azure Core 1.38.1 introduced a change to URL formatting which can cause recording mismatches in
-        # mindependency checks.
-        if Version(core_version) >= Version("1.38.1") or self.is_live:
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
-            assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
-
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                tsc.get_service_properties()
-            assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
+        assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            tsc.get_service_properties()
+        assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
         tsc.delete_table(table_name)
 
diff --git a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_async.py b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_async.py
index 207c5ecf3606..8c4b417b2990 100644
--- a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_async.py
+++ b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_async.py
@@ -5,14 +5,12 @@
 # Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for
 # license information.
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-from packaging.version import Version
 import time
 import pytest
 
 from devtools_testutils import AzureRecordedTestCase
 from devtools_testutils.aio import recorded_by_proxy_async
 
-from azure.core import VERSION as core_version
 from azure.core.exceptions import ResourceNotFoundError, HttpResponseError
 
 from azure.data.tables import TableAnalyticsLogging, TableMetrics, TableRetentionPolicy, TableCorsRule
@@ -185,18 +183,15 @@ async def test_client_with_url_ends_with_table_name(
         assert ("table specified does not exist") in str(exc.value)
         assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
-        # Azure Core 1.38.1 introduced a change to URL formatting which can cause recording mismatches in
-        # mindependency checks.
-        if Version(core_version) >= Version("1.38.1") or self.is_live:
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                await tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
-            assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
-
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                await tsc.get_service_properties()
-            assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            await tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
+        assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            await tsc.get_service_properties()
+        assert ("URI is invalid") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
         await tsc.delete_table(table_name)
 
diff --git a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos.py b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos.py
index fda1b9a7eed7..f25c86eb9ec7 100644
--- a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos.py
+++ b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos.py
@@ -72,18 +72,15 @@ def test_client_with_url_ends_with_table_name(self, tables_cosmos_account_name,
         assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
         assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
-        # Azure Core 1.38.1 introduced a change to URL formatting which can cause recording mismatches in
-        # mindependency checks.
-        if Version(core_version) >= Version("1.38.1") or self.is_live:
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
-            assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
-
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                tsc.get_service_properties()
-            assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
+        assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            tsc.get_service_properties()
+        assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
         with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
             tsc.delete_table(table_name)
diff --git a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos_async.py b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos_async.py
index e90dd81b3a94..b9a1259fcb14 100644
--- a/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos_async.py
+++ b/sdk/tables/azure-data-tables/tests/test_table_service_properties_cosmos_async.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 # Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for
 # license information.
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-from packaging.version import Version
 import pytest
 
 from devtools_testutils import AzureRecordedTestCase
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@
 
 from azure.data.tables import TableAnalyticsLogging, TableMetrics, TableRetentionPolicy, TableCorsRule
 from azure.data.tables.aio import TableServiceClient
-from azure.core import VERSION as core_version
 from azure.core.exceptions import HttpResponseError
 
 from _shared.asynctestcase import AsyncTableTestCase
@@ -73,18 +71,15 @@ async def test_client_with_url_ends_with_table_name(
         assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
         assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
-        # Azure Core 1.38.1 introduced a change to URL formatting which can cause recording mismatches in
-        # mindependency checks.
-        if Version(core_version) >= Version("1.38.1") or self.is_live:
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                await tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
-            assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
-
-            with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
-                await tsc.get_service_properties()
-            assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
-            assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            await tsc.set_service_properties(analytics_logging=TableAnalyticsLogging(write=True))
+        assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
+
+        with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
+            await tsc.get_service_properties()
+        assert ("Server failed to authenticate the request") in str(exc.value)
+        assert ("Please check your account URL.") in str(exc.value)
 
         with pytest.raises(HttpResponseError) as exc:
             await tsc.delete_table(table_name)