diff --git a/pymongo/database.py b/pymongo/database.py
index b42579425..cd667592d 100644
--- a/pymongo/database.py
+++ b/pymongo/database.py
@@ -118,6 +118,15 @@ class Database(common.BaseObject):
         """
         return self.__connection
 
+    @property
+    def client(self):
+        """The client instance for this :class:`Database`.
+
+        .. versionadded:: 2.9
+           ``client`` is an alias for ``connection``.
+        """
+        return self.__connection
+
     @property
     def name(self):
         """The name of this :class:`Database`.
diff --git a/test/test_collection.py b/test/test_collection.py
index 6b0b98dd9..980d68005 100644
--- a/test/test_collection.py
+++ b/test/test_collection.py
@@ -2420,6 +2420,9 @@ class TestCollection(unittest.TestCase):
                          c.find_and_modify({'_id': 1}, {'$inc': {'i': 1}},
                                            new=True))
 
+    def test_client_alias(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.db.client, self.db.connection)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()