diff --git a/spanner/client.go b/spanner/client.go
index cb1a11b9a6f7..fb3b13ab9ee2 100644
--- a/spanner/client.go
+++ b/spanner/client.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func contextWithOutgoingMetadata(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD, disableRou
 // form projects/PROJECT_ID/instances/INSTANCE_ID/databases/DATABASE_ID. It uses
 // a default configuration.
 func NewClient(ctx context.Context, database string, opts ...option.ClientOption) (*Client, error) {
-	return NewClientWithConfig(ctx, database, ClientConfig{SessionPoolConfig: DefaultSessionPoolConfig, DisableRouteToLeader: true}, opts...)
+	return NewClientWithConfig(ctx, database, ClientConfig{SessionPoolConfig: DefaultSessionPoolConfig, DisableRouteToLeader: false}, opts...)
 }
 
 // NewClientWithConfig creates a client to a database. A valid database name has