diff --git a/spanner/client.go b/spanner/client.go
index 0c233be7c1a..fe87fafb171 100644
--- a/spanner/client.go
+++ b/spanner/client.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	"cloud.google.com/go/internal/trace"
@@ -353,6 +354,9 @@ func allClientOpts(numChannels int, compression string, userOpts ...option.Clien
 		internaloption.EnableDirectPath(true),
 		internaloption.AllowNonDefaultServiceAccount(true),
 	}
+	if enableDirectPathXds, _ := strconv.ParseBool(os.Getenv("GOOGLE_SPANNER_ENABLE_DIRECT_ACCESS")); enableDirectPathXds {
+		clientDefaultOpts = append(clientDefaultOpts, internaloption.EnableDirectPathXds())
+	}
 	if compression == "gzip" {
 		userOpts = append(userOpts, option.WithGRPCDialOption(grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(
 			grpc.UseCompressor(gzip.Name))))