diff --git a/spanner/pdml.go b/spanner/pdml.go
index eac3b99c5660..e50331235ab3 100644
--- a/spanner/pdml.go
+++ b/spanner/pdml.go
@@ -48,20 +48,15 @@ func (c *Client) partitionedUpdate(ctx context.Context, statement Statement, opt
 	if err := checkNestedTxn(ctx); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	var (
-		s  *session
-		sh *sessionHandle
-	)
-	// Create session.
-	s, err = c.sc.createSession(ctx)
+
+	sh, err := c.idleSessions.take(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, toSpannerError(err)
 	}
-	// Delete the session at the end of the request. If the PDML statement
-	// timed out or was cancelled, the DeleteSession request might not succeed,
-	// but the session will eventually be garbage collected by the server.
-	defer s.delete(ctx)
-	sh = &sessionHandle{session: s}
+	if sh != nil {
+		defer sh.recycle()
+	}
+
 	// Create the parameters and the SQL request, but without a transaction.
 	// The transaction reference will be added by the executePdml method.
 	params, paramTypes, err := statement.convertParams()
diff --git a/spanner/pdml_test.go b/spanner/pdml_test.go
index 430ad674e89e..bbbc2df31878 100644
--- a/spanner/pdml_test.go
+++ b/spanner/pdml_test.go
@@ -89,14 +89,13 @@ func TestPartitionedUpdate_Aborted(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	gotReqs, err := shouldHaveReceived(server.TestSpanner, []interface{}{
-		&sppb.CreateSessionRequest{},
+		&sppb.BatchCreateSessionsRequest{},
 		&sppb.BeginTransactionRequest{},
 		&sppb.ExecuteSqlRequest{},
 		&sppb.BeginTransactionRequest{},
 		&sppb.ExecuteSqlRequest{},
 		&sppb.BeginTransactionRequest{},
 		&sppb.ExecuteSqlRequest{},
-		&sppb.DeleteSessionRequest{},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)