diff --git a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/Config.java b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/Config.java
index 3f78f2bcf5..7a312bf9a3 100644
--- a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/Config.java
+++ b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/Config.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import org.neo4j.driver.internal.SecuritySettings;
@@ -258,10 +259,10 @@ public String userAgent() {
     /**
      * A {@link BookmarkManager} implementation for the driver to use.
      *
-     * @return bookmark implementation or {@code null}.
+     * @return bookmark implementation
      */
-    public BookmarkManager bookmarkManager() {
-        return bookmarkManager;
+    public Optional<BookmarkManager> bookmarkManager() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(bookmarkManager);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/DriverFactory.java b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/DriverFactory.java
index 5876a8a28d..8ec8e41b63 100644
--- a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/DriverFactory.java
+++ b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/DriverFactory.java
@@ -261,7 +261,11 @@ protected InternalDriver createRoutingDriver(
     protected InternalDriver createDriver(
             SecurityPlan securityPlan, SessionFactory sessionFactory, MetricsProvider metricsProvider, Config config) {
         return new InternalDriver(
-                securityPlan, sessionFactory, metricsProvider, config.logging(), config.bookmarkManager());
+                securityPlan,
+                sessionFactory,
+                metricsProvider,
+                config.logging(),
+                config.bookmarkManager().orElse(null));
     }
 
     /**