diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit.go
index 29351ec05..c1a55b118 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (db *DB) BeginObjectNextVersion(ctx context.Context, opts BeginObjectNextVe
 			$4, $5, $6,
 			$7)
 		RETURNING version
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.StreamID,
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.StreamID,
 		opts.ExpiresAt, encryptionParameters{&opts.Encryption},
 		opts.ZombieDeletionDeadline)
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func (db *DB) BeginObjectExactVersion(ctx context.Context, opts BeginObjectExact
 			$8
 		)
 		RETURNING status, created_at
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 		opts.ExpiresAt, encryptionParameters{&opts.Encryption},
 		opts.ZombieDeletionDeadline).
 		Scan(
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (db *DB) BeginSegment(ctx context.Context, opts BeginSegment) (err error) {
 				version      = $4 AND
 				stream_id    = $5 AND
 				status       = `+pendingStatus,
-			opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID).Scan(&value)
+			opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID).Scan(&value)
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return Error.New("pending object missing")
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func (db *DB) CommitSegment(ctx context.Context, opts CommitSegment) (err error)
 		opts.EncryptedSize, opts.PlainOffset, opts.PlainSize,
 		redundancyScheme{&opts.Redundancy},
 		aliasPieces,
-		opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+		opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		if code := pgerrcode.FromError(err); code == pgxerrcode.NotNullViolation {
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ func (db *DB) CommitInlineSegment(ctx context.Context, opts CommitInlineSegment)
 		storj.PieceID{}, opts.EncryptedKeyNonce, opts.EncryptedKey,
 		len(opts.InlineData), opts.PlainOffset, opts.PlainSize,
 		opts.InlineData,
-		opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+		opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		if code := pgerrcode.FromError(err); code == pgxerrcode.NotNullViolation {
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ func (db *DB) CommitObject(ctx context.Context, opts CommitObject) (object Objec
 			RETURNING
 				created_at, expires_at,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 			len(segments),
 			opts.EncryptedMetadataNonce, opts.EncryptedMetadata, opts.EncryptedMetadataEncryptedKey,
 			totalPlainSize,
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ func (db *DB) UpdateObjectMetadata(ctx context.Context, opts UpdateObjectMetadat
 			version      = $4 AND
 			stream_id    = $5 AND
 			status       = `+committedStatus,
-		opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+		opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 		opts.EncryptedMetadataNonce, opts.EncryptedMetadata, opts.EncryptedMetadataEncryptedKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Error.New("unable to update object metadata: %w", err)
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit_object.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit_object.go
index c8aeebaa2..2bcc46903 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit_object.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/commit_object.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (db *DB) CommitObjectWithSegments(ctx context.Context, opts CommitObjectWit
 			RETURNING
 				created_at, expires_at,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID,
 			len(finalSegments),
 			opts.EncryptedMetadataNonce, opts.EncryptedMetadata, opts.EncryptedMetadataEncryptedKey,
 			totalPlainSize,
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete.go
index b76c05757..bcba5851b 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteObjectExactVersion(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteObjectExa
 				encrypted_metadata_nonce, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_metadata_encrypted_key,
 				total_plain_size, total_encrypted_size, fixed_segment_size,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version)
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version)
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return storj.ErrObjectNotFound.Wrap(Error.Wrap(err))
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeletePendingObject(ctx context.Context, opts DeletePendingObject)
 				encrypted_metadata_nonce, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_metadata_encrypted_key,
 				total_plain_size, total_encrypted_size, fixed_segment_size,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID)
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version, opts.StreamID)
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return storj.ErrObjectNotFound.Wrap(Error.Wrap(err))
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteObjectLatestVersion(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteObjectLa
 		// ORDER BY version DESC
 		// LIMIT 1
 		// RETURNING stream_id;
-		// `, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, opts.ObjectKey)
+		// `, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), opts.ObjectKey)
 
 		// version for Postgres and Cockroachdb (but slow for Cockroachdb)
 		rows, err := tx.Query(ctx, `
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteObjectLatestVersion(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteObjectLa
 				encrypted_metadata_nonce, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_metadata_encrypted_key,
 				total_plain_size, total_encrypted_size, fixed_segment_size,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey))
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey))
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return storj.ErrObjectNotFound.Wrap(Error.Wrap(err))
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteObjectAnyStatusAllVersions(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteO
 				encrypted_metadata_nonce, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_metadata_encrypted_key,
 				total_plain_size, total_encrypted_size, fixed_segment_size,
 				encryption;
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey))
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey))
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return storj.ErrObjectNotFound.Wrap(Error.Wrap(err))
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteObjectsAllVersions(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteObjectsAl
 					encrypted_metadata_nonce, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_metadata_encrypted_key,
 					total_plain_size, total_encrypted_size, fixed_segment_size,
 					encryption;
-		`, projectID, bucketName, pgutil.ByteaArray(objectKeys))
+		`, projectID, []byte(bucketName), pgutil.ByteaArray(objectKeys))
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 				return storj.ErrObjectNotFound.Wrap(Error.Wrap(err))
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete_bucket.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete_bucket.go
index 7eee4d2ae..63132ffc8 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete_bucket.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/delete_bucket.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (db *DB) DeleteBucketObjects(ctx context.Context, opts DeleteBucketObjects)
 	for {
 		deleteSegments = deleteSegments[:0]
 		err = withRows(db.db.Query(ctx, query,
-			opts.Bucket.ProjectID, opts.Bucket.BucketName, batchSize))(func(rows tagsql.Rows) error {
+			opts.Bucket.ProjectID, []byte(opts.Bucket.BucketName), batchSize))(func(rows tagsql.Rows) error {
 			ids := map[uuid.UUID]struct{}{} // TODO: avoid map here
 			for rows.Next() {
 				var streamID uuid.UUID
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/get.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/get.go
index 1d2ced43e..39a734885 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/get.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/get.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetObjectExactVersion(ctx context.Context, opts GetObjectExactVers
 			object_key   = $3 AND
 			version      = $4 AND
 			status       = `+committedStatus,
-		opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version).
+		opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Version).
 		Scan(
 			&object.StreamID,
 			&object.CreatedAt, &object.ExpiresAt,
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetObjectLatestVersion(ctx context.Context, opts GetObjectLatestVe
 			status       = `+committedStatus+`
 		ORDER BY version desc
 		LIMIT 1
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey)).
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey)).
 		Scan(
 			&object.StreamID, &object.Version,
 			&object.CreatedAt, &object.ExpiresAt,
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetSegmentByLocation(ctx context.Context, opts GetSegmentByLocatio
 					LIMIT 1
 				) AND
 				position = $4
-		`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Position.Encode()).
+		`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.Position.Encode()).
 		Scan(
 			&segment.StreamID,
 			&segment.RootPieceID, &segment.EncryptedKeyNonce, &segment.EncryptedKey,
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetLatestObjectLastSegment(ctx context.Context, opts GetLatestObje
 			)
 		ORDER BY position DESC
 		LIMIT 1
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey)).
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey)).
 		Scan(
 			&segment.StreamID, &segment.Position,
 			&segment.RootPieceID, &segment.EncryptedKeyNonce, &segment.EncryptedKey,
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetSegmentByOffset(ctx context.Context, opts GetSegmentByOffset) (
 			(plain_size + plain_offset) > $4
 		ORDER BY plain_offset ASC
 		LIMIT 1
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName, []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.PlainOffset).
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName), []byte(opts.ObjectKey), opts.PlainOffset).
 		Scan(
 			&segment.StreamID, &segment.Position,
 			&segment.RootPieceID, &segment.EncryptedKeyNonce, &segment.EncryptedKey,
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ func (db *DB) BucketEmpty(ctx context.Context, opts BucketEmpty) (empty bool, er
 			project_id   = $1 AND
 			bucket_name  = $2
 		LIMIT 1
-	`, opts.ProjectID, opts.BucketName).Scan(&value)
+	`, opts.ProjectID, []byte(opts.BucketName)).Scan(&value)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 			return true, nil
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/iterator.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/iterator.go
index 956212dc0..fc0a43630 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/iterator.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/iterator.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ type objectsIterator struct {
 	db *DB
 
 	projectID       uuid.UUID
-	bucketName      string
+	bucketName      []byte
 	status          ObjectStatus
 	prefix          ObjectKey
 	prefixLimit     ObjectKey
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func iterateAllVersions(ctx context.Context, db *DB, opts IterateObjects, fn fun
 		db: db,
 
 		projectID:       opts.ProjectID,
-		bucketName:      opts.BucketName,
+		bucketName:      []byte(opts.BucketName),
 		prefix:          opts.Prefix,
 		prefixLimit:     prefixLimit(opts.Prefix),
 		batchSize:       opts.BatchSize,
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func iterateAllVersionsWithStatus(ctx context.Context, db *DB, opts IterateObjec
 		db: db,
 
 		projectID:       opts.ProjectID,
-		bucketName:      opts.BucketName,
+		bucketName:      []byte(opts.BucketName),
 		status:          opts.Status,
 		prefix:          opts.Prefix,
 		prefixLimit:     prefixLimit(opts.Prefix),
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func iteratePendingObjectsByKey(ctx context.Context, db *DB, opts IteratePending
 		db: db,
 
 		projectID:       opts.ProjectID,
-		bucketName:      opts.BucketName,
+		bucketName:      []byte(opts.BucketName),
 		prefix:          "",
 		prefixLimit:     "",
 		batchSize:       opts.BatchSize,
@@ -366,8 +366,10 @@ func doNextQueryAllVersionsWithStatus(ctx context.Context, it *objectsIterator)
 }
 
 // nextBucket returns the lexicographically next bucket.
-func nextBucket(b string) string {
-	return b + "\x01"
+func nextBucket(b []byte) []byte {
+	xs := make([]byte, len(b)+1)
+	copy(xs, b)
+	return xs
 }
 
 // doNextQuery executes query to fetch the next batch returning the rows.
diff --git a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/loop.go b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/loop.go
index 4607e73e0..9bebf0dec 100644
--- a/satellite/metainfo/metabase/loop.go
+++ b/satellite/metainfo/metabase/loop.go
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func (it *loopIterator) doNextQuery(ctx context.Context) (_ tagsql.Rows, err err
 		WHERE (project_id, bucket_name, object_key, version) > ($1, $2, $3, $4)
 		ORDER BY project_id ASC, bucket_name ASC, object_key ASC, version ASC
 		LIMIT $5
-		`, it.cursor.ProjectID, it.cursor.BucketName,
+		`, it.cursor.ProjectID, []byte(it.cursor.BucketName),
 		[]byte(it.cursor.ObjectKey), int(it.cursor.Version),
 		it.batchSize,
 	)