diff --git a/go/vt/vitessdriver/convert.go b/go/vt/vitessdriver/convert.go
index abb25beb000..0bf8c2240d5 100644
--- a/go/vt/vitessdriver/convert.go
+++ b/go/vt/vitessdriver/convert.go
@@ -109,12 +109,16 @@ func (cv *converter) bindVarsFromNamedValues(args []driver.NamedValue) (map[stri
 	return bindVars, nil
 }
 
-func newConverter(cfg *Configuration) (c *converter, err error) {
-	c = &converter{
-		location: time.UTC,
+func newConverter(cfg *Configuration) (*converter, error) {
+	c := &converter{location: time.UTC}
+	if cfg.DefaultLocation == "" {
+		return c, nil
 	}
-	if cfg.DefaultLocation != "" {
-		c.location, err = time.LoadLocation(cfg.DefaultLocation)
+
+	loc, err := time.LoadLocation(cfg.DefaultLocation)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	return
+	c.location = loc
+	return c, nil
 }
diff --git a/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver.go b/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver.go
index 638e31523f3..4a965399e9c 100644
--- a/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver.go
+++ b/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver.go
@@ -41,10 +41,30 @@ var (
 
 // Type-check interfaces.
 var (
-	_ driver.QueryerContext   = &conn{}
-	_ driver.ExecerContext    = &conn{}
-	_ driver.StmtQueryContext = &stmt{}
-	_ driver.StmtExecContext  = &stmt{}
+	_ interface {
+		driver.Connector
+	} = &connector{}
+
+	_ interface {
+		driver.Driver
+		driver.DriverContext
+	} = drv{}
+
+	_ interface {
+		driver.Conn
+		driver.ConnBeginTx
+		driver.ConnPrepareContext
+		driver.ExecerContext
+		driver.Pinger
+		driver.QueryerContext
+		driver.Tx
+	} = &conn{}
+
+	_ interface {
+		driver.Stmt
+		driver.StmtExecContext
+		driver.StmtQueryContext
+	} = &stmt{}
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -94,8 +114,7 @@ func OpenWithConfiguration(c Configuration) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	return sql.Open(c.DriverName, json)
 }
 
-type drv struct {
-}
+type drv struct{}
 
 // Open implements the database/sql/driver.Driver interface.
 //
@@ -112,25 +131,65 @@ type drv struct {
 //
 // For a description of the available fields, see the Configuration struct.
 func (d drv) Open(name string) (driver.Conn, error) {
-	c := &conn{}
-	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(name), c)
+	conn, err := d.OpenConnector(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	c.setDefaults()
+	return conn.Connect(context.Background())
+}
 
-	if c.convert, err = newConverter(&c.Configuration); err != nil {
+// OpenConnector implements the database/sql/driver.DriverContext interface.
+//
+// See the documentation of Open for details on the format of name.
+func (d drv) OpenConnector(name string) (driver.Connector, error) {
+	var cfg Configuration
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(name), &cfg); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = c.dial(); err != nil {
+	cfg.setDefaults()
+	return d.newConnector(cfg)
+}
+
+// A connector holds immutable state for the creation of additional conns via
+// the Connect method.
+type connector struct {
+	drv     drv
+	cfg     Configuration
+	convert *converter
+}
+
+func (d drv) newConnector(cfg Configuration) (driver.Connector, error) {
+	convert, err := newConverter(&cfg)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return c, nil
+	return &connector{
+		drv:     d,
+		cfg:     cfg,
+		convert: convert,
+	}, nil
 }
 
+// Connect implements the database/sql/driver.Connector interface.
+func (c *connector) Connect(ctx context.Context) (driver.Conn, error) {
+	conn := &conn{
+		cfg:     c.cfg,
+		convert: c.convert,
+	}
+
+	if err := conn.dial(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
+// Driver implements the database/sql/driver.Connector interface.
+func (c *connector) Driver() driver.Driver { return c.drv }
+
 // Configuration holds all Vitess driver settings.
 //
 // Fields with documented default values do not have to be set explicitly.
@@ -202,32 +261,32 @@ func (c *Configuration) setDefaults() {
 }
 
 type conn struct {
-	Configuration
+	cfg     Configuration
 	convert *converter
 	conn    *vtgateconn.VTGateConn
 	session *vtgateconn.VTGateSession
 }
 
-func (c *conn) dial() error {
+func (c *conn) dial(ctx context.Context) error {
 	var err error
-	c.conn, err = vtgateconn.DialProtocol(context.Background(), c.Protocol, c.Address)
+	c.conn, err = vtgateconn.DialProtocol(ctx, c.cfg.Protocol, c.cfg.Address)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if c.Configuration.SessionToken != "" {
-		sessionFromToken, err := sessionTokenToSession(c.Configuration.SessionToken)
+	if c.cfg.SessionToken != "" {
+		sessionFromToken, err := sessionTokenToSession(c.cfg.SessionToken)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		c.session = c.conn.SessionFromPb(sessionFromToken)
 	} else {
-		c.session = c.conn.Session(c.Target, nil)
+		c.session = c.conn.Session(c.cfg.Target, nil)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *conn) Ping(ctx context.Context) error {
-	if c.Streaming {
+	if c.cfg.Streaming {
 		return errors.New("Ping not allowed for streaming connections")
 	}
 
@@ -378,7 +437,7 @@ func sessionTokenToSession(sessionToken string) (*vtgatepb.Session, error) {
 
 func (c *conn) Begin() (driver.Tx, error) {
 	// if we're loading from an existing session, we need to avoid starting a new transaction
-	if c.Configuration.SessionToken != "" {
+	if c.cfg.SessionToken != "" {
 		return c, nil
 	}
 
@@ -401,7 +460,7 @@ func (c *conn) Commit() error {
 	// if we're loading from an existing session, disallow committing/rolling back the transaction
 	// this isn't a technical limitation, but is enforced to prevent misuse, so that only
 	// the original creator of the transaction can commit/rollback
-	if c.Configuration.SessionToken != "" {
+	if c.cfg.SessionToken != "" {
 		return errors.New("calling Commit from a distributed tx is not allowed")
 	}
 
@@ -413,7 +472,7 @@ func (c *conn) Rollback() error {
 	// if we're loading from an existing session, disallow committing/rolling back the transaction
 	// this isn't a technical limitation, but is enforced to prevent misuse, so that only
 	// the original creator of the transaction can commit/rollback
-	if c.Configuration.SessionToken != "" {
+	if c.cfg.SessionToken != "" {
 		return errors.New("calling Rollback from a distributed tx is not allowed")
 	}
 
@@ -424,7 +483,7 @@ func (c *conn) Rollback() error {
 func (c *conn) Exec(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Result, error) {
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 
-	if c.Streaming {
+	if c.cfg.Streaming {
 		return nil, errors.New("Exec not allowed for streaming connections")
 	}
 	bindVars, err := c.convert.buildBindVars(args)
@@ -440,7 +499,7 @@ func (c *conn) Exec(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Result, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *conn) ExecContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Result, error) {
-	if c.Streaming {
+	if c.cfg.Streaming {
 		return nil, errors.New("Exec not allowed for streaming connections")
 	}
 
@@ -462,7 +521,7 @@ func (c *conn) Query(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Rows, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if c.Streaming {
+	if c.cfg.Streaming {
 		stream, err := c.session.StreamExecute(ctx, query, bindVars)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -488,7 +547,7 @@ func (c *conn) QueryContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.Nam
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if c.Streaming {
+	if c.cfg.Streaming {
 		stream, err := c.session.StreamExecute(ctx, query, bv)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver_test.go b/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver_test.go
index b1bdd2a833f..bd49a0acd0a 100644
--- a/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vitessdriver/driver_test.go
@@ -38,9 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vtgate/grpcvtgateservice"
 )
 
-var (
-	testAddress string
-)
+var testAddress string
 
 // TestMain tests the Vitess Go SQL driver.
 //
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	var testcases = []struct {
+	testcases := []struct {
 		desc    string
 		connStr string
 		conn    *conn
@@ -80,7 +78,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 			desc:    "Open()",
 			connStr: fmt.Sprintf(`{"address": "%s", "target": "@replica", "timeout": %d}`, testAddress, int64(30*time.Second)),
 			conn: &conn{
-				Configuration: Configuration{
+				cfg: Configuration{
 					Protocol:   "grpc",
 					DriverName: "vitess",
 					Target:     "@replica",
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 			desc:    "Open() (defaults omitted)",
 			connStr: fmt.Sprintf(`{"address": "%s", "timeout": %d}`, testAddress, int64(30*time.Second)),
 			conn: &conn{
-				Configuration: Configuration{
+				cfg: Configuration{
 					Protocol:   "grpc",
 					DriverName: "vitess",
 				},
@@ -107,7 +105,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 			desc:    "Open() with keyspace",
 			connStr: fmt.Sprintf(`{"protocol": "grpc", "address": "%s", "target": "ks:0@replica", "timeout": %d}`, testAddress, int64(30*time.Second)),
 			conn: &conn{
-				Configuration: Configuration{
+				cfg: Configuration{
 					Protocol:   "grpc",
 					DriverName: "vitess",
 					Target:     "ks:0@replica",
@@ -123,7 +121,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 				`{"address": "%s", "timeout": %d, "defaultlocation": "America/Los_Angeles"}`,
 				testAddress, int64(30*time.Second)),
 			conn: &conn{
-				Configuration: Configuration{
+				cfg: Configuration{
 					Protocol:        "grpc",
 					DriverName:      "vitess",
 					DefaultLocation: "America/Los_Angeles",
@@ -144,7 +142,7 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 
 		wantc := tc.conn
 		newc := *(c.(*conn))
-		newc.Address = ""
+		newc.cfg.Address = ""
 		newc.conn = nil
 		newc.session = nil
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(&newc, wantc) {
@@ -255,7 +253,7 @@ func TestExecStreamingNotAllowed(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
-	var testcases = []struct {
+	testcases := []struct {
 		desc        string
 		config      Configuration
 		requestName string
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestBindVars(t *testing.T) {
-	var testcases = []struct {
+	testcases := []struct {
 		desc   string
 		in     []driver.NamedValue
 		out    map[string]*querypb.BindVariable
@@ -440,7 +438,7 @@ func TestBindVars(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDatetimeQuery(t *testing.T) {
-	var testcases = []struct {
+	testcases := []struct {
 		desc        string
 		config      Configuration
 		requestName string
@@ -763,3 +761,103 @@ func colList(fields []*querypb.Field) []string {
 	}
 	return cols
 }
+
+func TestConnSeparateSessions(t *testing.T) {
+	c := Configuration{
+		Protocol: "grpc",
+		Address:  testAddress,
+		Target:   "@primary",
+	}
+
+	db, err := OpenWithConfiguration(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// Each new connection starts a fresh session pointed at @primary. When the
+	// USE statement is executed, we simulate a change to that individual
+	// connection's target string.
+	//
+	// No connections are returned to the pool during this test and therefore
+	// the connection state should not be shared.
+	var conns []*sql.Conn
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		sconn, err := db.Conn(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		conns = append(conns, sconn)
+
+		targets := []string{targetString(t, sconn)}
+
+		_, err = sconn.ExecContext(ctx, "use @rdonly")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		targets = append(targets, targetString(t, sconn))
+
+		require.Equal(t, []string{"@primary", "@rdonly"}, targets)
+	}
+
+	for _, c := range conns {
+		require.NoError(t, c.Close())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestConnReuseSessions(t *testing.T) {
+	c := Configuration{
+		Protocol: "grpc",
+		Address:  testAddress,
+		Target:   "@primary",
+	}
+
+	db, err := OpenWithConfiguration(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// Pull an individual connection from the pool and execute a USE, resulting
+	// in changing the target string. We return the connection to the pool
+	// continuously in this test and verify that we keep pulling the same
+	// connection with its target string altered.
+	sconn, err := db.Conn(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = sconn.ExecContext(ctx, "use @rdonly")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, sconn.Close())
+
+	var targets []string
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		sconn, err := db.Conn(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		targets = append(targets, targetString(t, sconn))
+		require.NoError(t, sconn.Close())
+	}
+
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"@rdonly", "@rdonly", "@rdonly"}, targets)
+}
+
+func targetString(t *testing.T, c *sql.Conn) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var target string
+	require.NoError(t, c.Raw(func(driverConn any) error {
+		target = driverConn.(*conn).session.SessionPb().TargetString
+		return nil
+	}))
+
+	return target
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/vitessdriver/fakeserver_test.go b/go/vt/vitessdriver/fakeserver_test.go
index c420067f61f..a74e44e682c 100644
--- a/go/vt/vitessdriver/fakeserver_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vitessdriver/fakeserver_test.go
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // fakeVTGateService has the server side of this fake
-type fakeVTGateService struct {
-}
+type fakeVTGateService struct{}
 
 // queryExecute contains all the fields we use to test Execute
 type queryExecute struct {
@@ -282,6 +281,20 @@ var execMap = map[string]struct {
 			TargetString: "@primary",
 		},
 	},
+	"use @rdonly": {
+		execQuery: &queryExecute{
+			SQL: "use @rdonly",
+			Session: &vtgatepb.Session{
+				TargetString: "@primary",
+				Autocommit:   true,
+			},
+		},
+		result: &sqltypes.Result{},
+		session: &vtgatepb.Session{
+			TargetString: "@rdonly",
+			SessionUUID:  "1111",
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 var result1 = sqltypes.Result{