diff --git a/cmd/modern/root/install/mssql-base.go b/cmd/modern/root/install/mssql-base.go
index 9a17afd5..e5c32ad0 100644
--- a/cmd/modern/root/install/mssql-base.go
+++ b/cmd/modern/root/install/mssql-base.go
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ func (c *MssqlBase) createContainer(imageName string, contextName string) {
 			Password:          secret.Encode(saPassword, c.encryptPassword)},
 		Name: "sa"}
 
-	c.sql.Connect(endpoint, saUser, sql.ConnectOptions{Interactive: false})
+	c.sql.Connect(endpoint, saUser, sql.ConnectOptions{Database: "master", Interactive: false})
 
 	c.createNonSaUser(userName, password)
 
diff --git a/cmd/modern/root/query.go b/cmd/modern/root/query.go
index 684f4dc3..86fb62a9 100644
--- a/cmd/modern/root/query.go
+++ b/cmd/modern/root/query.go
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
 package root
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/internal/cmdparser"
 	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/internal/config"
+	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/internal/pal"
 	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/internal/sql"
 )
 
@@ -13,7 +15,8 @@ import (
 type Query struct {
 	cmdparser.Cmd
 
-	text string
+	text     string
+	database string
 }
 
 func (c *Query) DefineCommand(...cmdparser.CommandOptions) {
@@ -25,7 +28,15 @@ func (c *Query) DefineCommand(...cmdparser.CommandOptions) {
 				`sqlcmd query "SELECT @@SERVERNAME"`,
 				`sqlcmd query --text "SELECT @@SERVERNAME"`,
 				`sqlcmd query --query "SELECT @@SERVERNAME"`,
-			}}},
+			}},
+			{Description: "Run a query using [master] database", Steps: []string{
+				`sqlcmd query "SELECT DB_NAME()" --database master`,
+			}},
+			{Description: "Set new default database", Steps: []string{
+				fmt.Sprintf(`sqlcmd query "ALTER LOGIN [%s] WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE = [tempdb]" --database master`,
+					pal.UserName()),
+			}},
+		},
 		Run: c.run,
 		FirstArgAlternativeForFlag: &cmdparser.AlternativeForFlagOptions{
 			Flag:  "text",
@@ -47,6 +58,12 @@ func (c *Query) DefineCommand(...cmdparser.CommandOptions) {
 		Name:      "query",
 		Shorthand: "q",
 		Usage:     "Command text to run"})
+
+	c.AddFlag(cmdparser.FlagOptions{
+		String:    &c.database,
+		Name:      "database",
+		Shorthand: "d",
+		Usage:     "Database to use"})
 }
 
 // run executes the Query command.
@@ -58,9 +75,9 @@ func (c *Query) run() {
 
 	s := sql.New(sql.SqlOptions{})
 	if c.text == "" {
-		s.Connect(endpoint, user, sql.ConnectOptions{Interactive: true})
+		s.Connect(endpoint, user, sql.ConnectOptions{Database: c.database, Interactive: true})
 	} else {
-		s.Connect(endpoint, user, sql.ConnectOptions{Interactive: false})
+		s.Connect(endpoint, user, sql.ConnectOptions{Database: c.database, Interactive: false})
 	}
 
 	s.Query(c.text)
diff --git a/cmd/modern/root/query_test.go b/cmd/modern/root/query_test.go
index 7d1d2289..496cead4 100644
--- a/cmd/modern/root/query_test.go
+++ b/cmd/modern/root/query_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/cmd/modern/root/config"
 	"github.com/microsoft/go-sqlcmd/internal/cmdparser"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"testing"
@@ -18,8 +17,27 @@ func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
 	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
 		t.Skip("stuartpa: This is failing in the pipeline (Login failed for user 'sa'.)")
 	}
+
 	cmdparser.TestSetup(t)
 
+	setupContext(t)
+	cmdparser.TestCmd[*Query]("PRINT")
+}
+
+func TestQueryWithNonDefaultDatabase(t *testing.T) {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+		t.Skip("stuartpa: This is failing in the pipeline (Login failed for user 'sa'.)")
+	}
+	
+	cmdparser.TestSetup(t)
+
+	setupContext(t)
+	cmdparser.TestCmd[*Query](`--text "PRINT DB_NAME()" --database master`)
+
+	// TODO: Add test validation that DB name was actually master!
+}
+
+func setupContext(t *testing.T) {
 	// if SQLCMDSERVER != "" add an endpoint using the --address
 	if os.Getenv("SQLCMDSERVER") == "" {
 		cmdparser.TestCmd[*config.AddEndpoint]()
@@ -33,10 +51,6 @@ func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
 	if os.Getenv("SQLCMDPASSWORD") != "" &&
 		os.Getenv("SQLCMDUSER") != "" {
 
-		// sqlcmd uses the SQLCMD_PASSWORD env var, but the tests use the
-		// SQLCMDPASSWORD env var
-		err := os.Setenv("SQLCMD_PASSWORD", os.Getenv("SQLCMDPASSWORD"))
-		assert.Nil(t, err)
 		cmdparser.TestCmd[*config.AddUser](
 			fmt.Sprintf("--name user1 --username %s",
 				os.Getenv("SQLCMDUSER")))
@@ -45,5 +59,4 @@ func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
 		cmdparser.TestCmd[*config.AddContext]("--endpoint endpoint")
 	}
 	cmdparser.TestCmd[*config.View]() // displaying the config (info in-case test fails)
-	cmdparser.TestCmd[*Query]("PRINT")
 }
diff --git a/internal/sql/interface.go b/internal/sql/interface.go
index c9b04817..9203bda5 100644
--- a/internal/sql/interface.go
+++ b/internal/sql/interface.go
@@ -14,5 +14,7 @@ type Sql interface {
 }
 
 type ConnectOptions struct {
+	Database string
+
 	Interactive bool
 }
diff --git a/internal/sql/mssql.go b/internal/sql/mssql.go
index b7759f6f..507fb78d 100644
--- a/internal/sql/mssql.go
+++ b/internal/sql/mssql.go
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ func (m *mssql) Connect(
 		ApplicationName: "sqlcmd",
 	}
 
+	if options.Database != "" {
+		connect.Database = options.Database
+	}
+
 	if user == nil {
 		connect.UseTrustedConnection = true
 	} else {