diff --git a/metastore/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/HiveMetaStoreClient.java b/metastore/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/HiveMetaStoreClient.java
index 83b481c61227..b5d007d3e41d 100644
--- a/metastore/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/HiveMetaStoreClient.java
+++ b/metastore/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/HiveMetaStoreClient.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
+import java.security.PrivilegedExceptionAction;
 
 import javax.security.auth.login.LoginException;
 
@@ -201,6 +202,42 @@ public HiveMetaStoreClient(HiveConf conf, HiveMetaHookLoader hookLoader, Boolean
       LOG.error("NOT getting uris from conf");
       throw new MetaException("MetaStoreURIs not found in conf file");
     }
+
+    //If HADOOP_PROXY_USER is set in env or property,
+    //then need to create metastore client that proxies as that user.
+    String HADOOP_PROXY_USER = "HADOOP_PROXY_USER";
+    String proxyUser = System.getenv(HADOOP_PROXY_USER);
+    if (proxyUser == null) {
+      proxyUser = System.getProperty(HADOOP_PROXY_USER);
+    }
+    //if HADOOP_PROXY_USER is set, create DelegationToken using real user
+    if(proxyUser != null) {
+      LOG.info(HADOOP_PROXY_USER + " is set. Using delegation "
+          + "token for HiveMetaStore connection.");
+      try {
+        UserGroupInformation.getLoginUser().getRealUser().doAs(
+            new PrivilegedExceptionAction<Void>() {
+              @Override
+              public Void run() throws Exception {
+                open();
+                return null;
+              }
+            });
+        String delegationTokenPropString = "DelegationTokenForHiveMetaStoreServer";
+        String delegationTokenStr = getDelegationToken(proxyUser, proxyUser);
+        Utils.setTokenStr(UserGroupInformation.getCurrentUser(), delegationTokenStr,
+            delegationTokenPropString);
+        this.conf.setVar(ConfVars.METASTORE_TOKEN_SIGNATURE, delegationTokenPropString);
+        close();
+      } catch (Exception e) {
+        LOG.error("Error while setting delegation token for " + proxyUser, e);
+        if(e instanceof MetaException) {
+          throw (MetaException)e;
+        } else {
+          throw new MetaException(e.getMessage());
+        }
+      }
+    }
     // finally open the store
     open();
   }