diff --git a/lightrag/kg/neo4j_impl.py b/lightrag/kg/neo4j_impl.py
index 4ee88da2..f9e56032 100644
--- a/lightrag/kg/neo4j_impl.py
+++ b/lightrag/kg/neo4j_impl.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import asyncio
 import inspect
 import os
 import re
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@ from neo4j import (  # type: ignore
     exceptions as neo4jExceptions,
     AsyncDriver,
     AsyncManagedTransaction,
-    GraphDatabase,
 )
 
 config = configparser.ConfigParser()
@@ -52,8 +50,13 @@ class Neo4JStorage(BaseGraphStorage):
             embedding_func=embedding_func,
         )
         self._driver = None
-        self._driver_lock = asyncio.Lock()
 
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        self._node_embed_algorithms = {
+            "node2vec": self._node2vec_embed,
+        }
+
+    async def initialize(self):
         URI = os.environ.get("NEO4J_URI", config.get("neo4j", "uri", fallback=None))
         USERNAME = os.environ.get(
             "NEO4J_USERNAME", config.get("neo4j", "username", fallback=None)
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ class Neo4JStorage(BaseGraphStorage):
             ),
         )
         DATABASE = os.environ.get(
-            "NEO4J_DATABASE", re.sub(r"[^a-zA-Z0-9-]", "-", namespace)
+            "NEO4J_DATABASE", re.sub(r"[^a-zA-Z0-9-]", "-", self.namespace)
         )
 
         self._driver: AsyncDriver = AsyncGraphDatabase.driver(
@@ -98,71 +101,59 @@ class Neo4JStorage(BaseGraphStorage):
             max_transaction_retry_time=MAX_TRANSACTION_RETRY_TIME,
         )
 
-        # Try to connect to the database
-        with GraphDatabase.driver(
-            URI,
-            auth=(USERNAME, PASSWORD),
-            max_connection_pool_size=MAX_CONNECTION_POOL_SIZE,
-            connection_timeout=CONNECTION_TIMEOUT,
-            connection_acquisition_timeout=CONNECTION_ACQUISITION_TIMEOUT,
-        ) as _sync_driver:
-            for database in (DATABASE, None):
-                self._DATABASE = database
-                connected = False
+        # Try to connect to the database and create it if it doesn't exist
+        for database in (DATABASE, None):
+            self._DATABASE = database
+            connected = False
 
-                try:
-                    with _sync_driver.session(database=database) as session:
-                        try:
-                            session.run("MATCH (n) RETURN n LIMIT 0")
-                            logger.info(f"Connected to {database} at {URI}")
-                            connected = True
-                        except neo4jExceptions.ServiceUnavailable as e:
-                            logger.error(
-                                f"{database} at {URI} is not available".capitalize()
-                            )
-                            raise e
-                except neo4jExceptions.AuthError as e:
-                    logger.error(f"Authentication failed for {database} at {URI}")
-                    raise e
-                except neo4jExceptions.ClientError as e:
-                    if e.code == "Neo.ClientError.Database.DatabaseNotFound":
-                        logger.info(
-                            f"{database} at {URI} not found. Try to create specified database.".capitalize()
+            try:
+                async with self._driver.session(database=database) as session:
+                    try:
+                        result = await session.run("MATCH (n) RETURN n LIMIT 0")
+                        await result.consume()  # Ensure result is consumed
+                        logger.info(f"Connected to {database} at {URI}")
+                        connected = True
+                    except neo4jExceptions.ServiceUnavailable as e:
+                        logger.error(
+                            f"{database} at {URI} is not available".capitalize()
                         )
-                        try:
-                            with _sync_driver.session() as session:
-                                session.run(
-                                    f"CREATE DATABASE `{database}` IF NOT EXISTS"
+                        raise e
+            except neo4jExceptions.AuthError as e:
+                logger.error(f"Authentication failed for {database} at {URI}")
+                raise e
+            except neo4jExceptions.ClientError as e:
+                if e.code == "Neo.ClientError.Database.DatabaseNotFound":
+                    logger.info(
+                        f"{database} at {URI} not found. Try to create specified database.".capitalize()
+                    )
+                    try:
+                        async with self._driver.session() as session:
+                            result = await session.run(
+                                f"CREATE DATABASE `{database}` IF NOT EXISTS"
+                            )
+                            await result.consume()  # Ensure result is consumed
+                            logger.info(f"{database} at {URI} created".capitalize())
+                            connected = True
+                    except (
+                        neo4jExceptions.ClientError,
+                        neo4jExceptions.DatabaseError,
+                    ) as e:
+                        if (
+                            e.code
+                            == "Neo.ClientError.Statement.UnsupportedAdministrationCommand"
+                        ) or (e.code == "Neo.DatabaseError.Statement.ExecutionFailed"):
+                            if database is not None:
+                                logger.warning(
+                                    "This Neo4j instance does not support creating databases. Try to use Neo4j Desktop/Enterprise version or DozerDB instead. Fallback to use the default database."
                                 )
-                                logger.info(f"{database} at {URI} created".capitalize())
-                                connected = True
-                        except (
-                            neo4jExceptions.ClientError,
-                            neo4jExceptions.DatabaseError,
-                        ) as e:
-                            if (
-                                e.code
-                                == "Neo.ClientError.Statement.UnsupportedAdministrationCommand"
-                            ) or (
-                                e.code == "Neo.DatabaseError.Statement.ExecutionFailed"
-                            ):
-                                if database is not None:
-                                    logger.warning(
-                                        "This Neo4j instance does not support creating databases. Try to use Neo4j Desktop/Enterprise version or DozerDB instead. Fallback to use the default database."
-                                    )
-                            if database is None:
-                                logger.error(f"Failed to create {database} at {URI}")
-                                raise e
+                        if database is None:
+                            logger.error(f"Failed to create {database} at {URI}")
+                            raise e
 
-                if connected:
-                    break
+            if connected:
+                break
 
-    def __post_init__(self):
-        self._node_embed_algorithms = {
-            "node2vec": self._node2vec_embed,
-        }
-
-    async def close(self):
+    async def finalize(self):
         """Close the Neo4j driver and release all resources"""
         if self._driver:
             await self._driver.close()
@@ -170,7 +161,7 @@ class Neo4JStorage(BaseGraphStorage):
 
     async def __aexit__(self, exc_type, exc, tb):
         """Ensure driver is closed when context manager exits"""
-        await self.close()
+        await self.finalize()
 
     async def index_done_callback(self) -> None:
         # Noe4J handles persistence automatically