diff --git a/src/client/mod.rs b/src/client/mod.rs
index acded10d0..8c1a39bc5 100644
--- a/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -168,6 +168,18 @@ impl Client {
         Database::new(self.clone(), name, Some(options))
     }
 
+    /// Gets a handle to the default database specified in the `ClientOptions` or MongoDB connection
+    /// string used to construct this `Client`.
+    ///
+    /// If no default database was specified, `None` will be returned.
+    pub fn default_database(&self) -> Option<Database> {
+        self.inner
+            .options
+            .default_database
+            .as_ref()
+            .map(|db_name| self.database(db_name))
+    }
+
     async fn list_databases_common(
         &self,
         filter: impl Into<Option<Document>>,
diff --git a/src/client/options/mod.rs b/src/client/options/mod.rs
index 59f7d2e32..b0f8cba57 100644
--- a/src/client/options/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/options/mod.rs
@@ -517,6 +517,12 @@ pub struct ClientOptions {
     #[builder(default)]
     pub server_selection_timeout: Option<Duration>,
 
+    /// Default database for this client.
+    ///
+    /// By default, no default database is specified.
+    #[builder(default)]
+    pub default_database: Option<String>,
+
     #[builder(default, setter(skip))]
     pub(crate) socket_timeout: Option<Duration>,
 
@@ -702,6 +708,7 @@ struct ClientOptionsParser {
     pub zlib_compression: Option<i32>,
     pub direct_connection: Option<bool>,
     pub credential: Option<Credential>,
+    pub default_database: Option<String>,
     max_staleness: Option<Duration>,
     tls_insecure: Option<bool>,
     auth_mechanism: Option<AuthMechanism>,
@@ -931,6 +938,7 @@ impl From<ClientOptionsParser> for ClientOptions {
             retry_writes: parser.retry_writes,
             socket_timeout: parser.socket_timeout,
             direct_connection: parser.direct_connection,
+            default_database: parser.default_database,
             driver_info: None,
             credential: parser.credential,
             cmap_event_handler: None,
@@ -969,6 +977,9 @@ impl ClientOptions {
     ///
     /// The format of a MongoDB connection string is described [here](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/reference/connection-string/#connection-string-formats).
     ///
+    /// Note that [default_database](ClientOptions::default_database) will be set from
+    /// `/defaultauthdb` in connection string.
+    ///
     /// The following options are supported in the options query string:
     ///
     ///   * `appName`: maps to the `app_name` field
@@ -1468,7 +1479,7 @@ impl ClientOptionsParser {
                     credential.source = options
                         .auth_source
                         .clone()
-                        .or(db)
+                        .or(db.clone())
                         .or_else(|| Some("admin".into()));
                 } else if authentication_requested {
                     return Err(ErrorKind::InvalidArgument {
@@ -1481,6 +1492,9 @@ impl ClientOptionsParser {
             }
         };
 
+        // set default database.
+        options.default_database = db;
+
         if options.tls.is_none() && options.srv {
             options.tls = Some(Tls::Enabled(Default::default()));
         }
diff --git a/src/client/options/test.rs b/src/client/options/test.rs
index 3266b66ff..c00809ac3 100644
--- a/src/client/options/test.rs
+++ b/src/client/options/test.rs
@@ -232,3 +232,41 @@ async fn parse_unknown_options() {
     .await;
     parse_uri("maxstalenessms", Some("maxstalenessseconds")).await;
 }
+
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "tokio-runtime", tokio::test)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "async-std-runtime", async_std::test)]
+async fn parse_with_default_database() {
+    let uri = "mongodb://localhost/abc";
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        ClientOptions::parse(uri).await.unwrap(),
+        ClientOptions {
+            hosts: vec![ServerAddress::Tcp {
+                host: "localhost".to_string(),
+                port: None
+            }],
+            original_uri: Some(uri.into()),
+            default_database: Some("abc".to_string()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "tokio-runtime", tokio::test)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "async-std-runtime", async_std::test)]
+async fn parse_with_no_default_database() {
+    let uri = "mongodb://localhost/";
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        ClientOptions::parse(uri).await.unwrap(),
+        ClientOptions {
+            hosts: vec![ServerAddress::Tcp {
+                host: "localhost".to_string(),
+                port: None
+            }],
+            original_uri: Some(uri.into()),
+            default_database: None,
+            ..Default::default()
+        }
+    );
+}
diff --git a/src/sync/client/mod.rs b/src/sync/client/mod.rs
index 6841d0396..6c3c37f7e 100644
--- a/src/sync/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/sync/client/mod.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ impl Client {
         Database::new(self.async_client.database_with_options(name, options))
     }
 
+    /// Gets a handle to the default database specified in the `ClientOptions` or MongoDB connection
+    /// string used to construct this `Client`.
+    ///
+    /// If no default database was specified, `None` will be returned.
+    pub fn default_database(&self) -> Option<Database> {
+        self.async_client.default_database().map(Database::new)
+    }
+
     /// Gets information about each database present in the cluster the Client is connected to.
     pub fn list_databases(
         &self,
diff --git a/src/sync/test.rs b/src/sync/test.rs
index 3236044d9..6881b6889 100644
--- a/src/sync/test.rs
+++ b/src/sync/test.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,36 @@ fn client() {
     assert!(db_names.contains(&function_name!().to_string()));
 }
 
+#[test]
+#[function_name::named]
+fn default_database() {
+    // here we just test default database name matched, the database interactive logic
+    // is tested in `database`.
+    let _guard: RwLockReadGuard<()> = RUNTIME.block_on(async { LOCK.run_concurrently().await });
+
+    let options = CLIENT_OPTIONS.clone();
+    let client = Client::with_options(options).expect("client creation should succeed");
+    let default_db = client.default_database();
+    assert!(default_db.is_none());
+
+    // create client througth options.
+    let mut options = CLIENT_OPTIONS.clone();
+    options.default_database = Some("abcd".to_string());
+    let client = Client::with_options(options).expect("client creation should succeed");
+    let default_db = client
+        .default_database()
+        .expect("should have a default database.");
+    assert_eq!(default_db.name(), "abcd");
+
+    // create client directly through uri_str.
+    let client = Client::with_uri_str("mongodb://localhost:27017/abcd")
+        .expect("client creation should succeed");
+    let default_db = client
+        .default_database()
+        .expect("should have a default database.");
+    assert_eq!(default_db.name(), "abcd");
+}
+
 #[test]
 #[function_name::named]
 fn database() {