diff --git a/mysql/mysql.go b/mysql/mysql.go
index fcedf54..26718f1 100644
--- a/mysql/mysql.go
+++ b/mysql/mysql.go
@@ -552,7 +552,11 @@ func buildQuery(table *schema.Table, params *params.TableParams, peekFinder *dri
 func (model mysqlModel) getColumns(dbc *sql.DB, table *schema.Table) (cols []*schema.Column, err error) {
 	// todo: parameterise
 	// todo: read all tables' columns in one query hit
-	sql := fmt.Sprintf("select column_name, data_type, is_nullable, character_maximum_length from information_schema.columns where table_schema = '%s' and table_name='%s' order by ordinal_position;", opts.Database, table.Name)
+	dbname := opts.Database
+	if dbname == "" {
+		dbname, _ = model.getSelectedDatabase(dbc)
+	}
+	sql := fmt.Sprintf("select column_name, data_type, is_nullable, character_maximum_length from information_schema.columns where table_schema = '%s' and table_name='%s' order by ordinal_position;", dbname, table.Name)
 
 	rows, err := dbc.Query(sql)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -584,3 +588,17 @@ func (model mysqlModel) SetTableDescription(database string, table string, descr
 func (model mysqlModel) SetColumnDescription(database string, table string, column string, description string) (err error) {
 	return
 }
+
+func (model mysqlModel) getSelectedDatabase(dbc *sql.DB) (name string, err error) {
+	sql := "SELECT DATABASE();"
+	rows, err := dbc.Query(sql)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Print(sql)
+		return
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	for rows.Next() {
+		rows.Scan(&name)
+	}
+	return
+}
diff --git a/mysql/test-mysql-connectionstring.sh b/mysql/test-mysql-connectionstring.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..96b8379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql/test-mysql-connectionstring.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+echo "======================"
+echo "mysql connectionstring"
+echo "======================"
+
+./setup.sh
+
+cd ..
+export schemaexplorer_driver=mysql
+export schemaexplorer_live=false
+export schemaexplorer_mysql_connection_string="ssetestusr:ssetestusrpass@tcp(localhost:3306)/ssetest"
+go clean -testcache
+go test sse_test.go #-test.v
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index eb6a65e..fbf93d6 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ popd > /dev/null
 pushd . > /dev/null
 cd mysql
 ./test-mysql.sh
+./test-mysql-connectionstring.sh
 popd > /dev/null
 
 pushd . > /dev/null