diff --git a/mongodb/README.md b/mongodb/README.md
index 31d64b22..6a63b3a4 100644
--- a/mongodb/README.md
+++ b/mongodb/README.md
@@ -89,11 +89,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	//
 	// Optional. Default is false
 	Clear bool
-
-	// Time before deleting expired keys
-	//
-	// Optional. Default is 10 * time.Second
-	GCInterval time.Duration
 }
 ```
 
@@ -104,7 +99,6 @@ var ConfigDefault = Config{
 	Port:       27017,
 	Database:   "fiber",
 	Collection: "fiber_storage",
-	Clear:      false,
-	GCInterval: 10 * time.Second,
+	Clear:      false
 }
 ```
diff --git a/mongodb/config.go b/mongodb/config.go
index 361a7494..48c5b072 100644
--- a/mongodb/config.go
+++ b/mongodb/config.go
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 package mongodb
 
-import (
-	"time"
-)
-
 // Config defines the config for storage.
 type Config struct {
 	// Host name where the DB is hosted
@@ -36,15 +32,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Optional. Default is "fiber_storage"
 	Collection string
 
-	// Clear any existing keys in existing Table
+	// Clear any existing keys in existing collection
 	//
 	// Optional. Default is false
 	Clear bool
-
-	// Time before deleting expired keys
-	//
-	// Optional. Default is 10 * time.Second
-	GCInterval time.Duration
 }
 
 // ConfigDefault is the default config
@@ -54,7 +45,6 @@ var ConfigDefault = Config{
 	Database:   "fiber",
 	Collection: "fiber_storage",
 	Clear:      false,
-	GCInterval: 10 * time.Second,
 }
 
 // Helper function to set default values
diff --git a/mongodb/mongodb.go b/mongodb/mongodb.go
index 4312772a..ec10f840 100644
--- a/mongodb/mongodb.go
+++ b/mongodb/mongodb.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func New(config ...Config) *Storage {
 	cfg := configDefault(config...)
 
 	// Create data source name
-	var dsn string = "mongodb://"
+	var dsn = "mongodb://"
 	if cfg.Username != "" {
 		dsn += url.QueryEscape(cfg.Username)
 	}
@@ -65,10 +65,21 @@ func New(config ...Config) *Storage {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
+	// verify that the client can connect
+	if err = client.Ping(context.Background(), nil); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+
 	// Get collection from database
 	db := client.Database(cfg.Database)
 	col := db.Collection(cfg.Collection)
 
+	if cfg.Clear {
+		if err = col.Drop(context.Background()); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	// expired data may exist for some time beyond the 60 second period between runs of the background task.
 	// more on https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/core/index-ttl/
 	indexModel := mongo.IndexModel{