diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
index 3a7c24ddc3e..98a49ec1f60 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/execution/context.rs
@@ -2204,6 +2204,57 @@ mod tests {
         assert_batches_sorted_eq!(expected, &result);
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn information_schema_show_tables_no_information_schema() {
+        let mut ctx = ExecutionContext::with_config(ExecutionConfig::new());
+
+        ctx.register_table("t", table_with_sequence(1, 1).unwrap())
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // use show tables alias
+        let err = plan_and_collect(&mut ctx, "SHOW TABLES").await.unwrap_err();
+
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "Error during planning: SHOW TABLES is not supported unless information_schema is enabled");
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn information_schema_show_tables() {
+        let mut ctx = ExecutionContext::with_config(
+            ExecutionConfig::new().with_information_schema(true),
+        );
+
+        ctx.register_table("t", table_with_sequence(1, 1).unwrap())
+            .unwrap();
+
+        // use show tables alias
+        let result = plan_and_collect(&mut ctx, "SHOW TABLES").await.unwrap();
+
+        let expected = vec![
+            "+---------------+--------------------+------------+------------+",
+            "| table_catalog | table_schema       | table_name | table_type |",
+            "+---------------+--------------------+------------+------------+",
+            "| datafusion    | information_schema | tables     | VIEW       |",
+            "| datafusion    | public             | t          | BASE TABLE |",
+            "+---------------+--------------------+------------+------------+",
+        ];
+        assert_batches_sorted_eq!(expected, &result);
+
+        let result = plan_and_collect(&mut ctx, "SHOW tables").await.unwrap();
+
+        assert_batches_sorted_eq!(expected, &result);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn show_unsupported() {
+        let mut ctx = ExecutionContext::with_config(ExecutionConfig::new());
+
+        let err = plan_and_collect(&mut ctx, "SHOW SOMETHING_UNKNOWN")
+            .await
+            .unwrap_err();
+
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "This feature is not implemented: SHOW SOMETHING_UNKNOWN not implemented. Supported syntax: SHOW <TABLES>");
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn disabled_default_catalog_and_schema() -> Result<()> {
         let mut ctx = ExecutionContext::with_config(
diff --git a/rust/datafusion/src/sql/planner.rs b/rust/datafusion/src/sql/planner.rs
index 7b62a4feac3..5d638a3e449 100644
--- a/rust/datafusion/src/sql/planner.rs
+++ b/rust/datafusion/src/sql/planner.rs
@@ -45,16 +45,19 @@ use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use crate::prelude::JoinType;
 use sqlparser::ast::{
     BinaryOperator, DataType as SQLDataType, DateTimeField, Expr as SQLExpr, FunctionArg,
-    Join, JoinConstraint, JoinOperator, Query, Select, SelectItem, SetExpr, SetOperator,
-    TableFactor, TableWithJoins, UnaryOperator, Value,
+    Ident, Join, JoinConstraint, JoinOperator, ObjectName, Query, Select, SelectItem,
+    SetExpr, SetOperator, TableFactor, TableWithJoins, UnaryOperator, Value,
 };
 use sqlparser::ast::{ColumnDef as SQLColumnDef, ColumnOption};
 use sqlparser::ast::{OrderByExpr, Statement};
 use sqlparser::parser::ParserError::ParserError;
 
-use super::utils::{
-    can_columns_satisfy_exprs, expand_wildcard, expr_as_column_expr, extract_aliases,
-    find_aggregate_exprs, find_column_exprs, rebase_expr, resolve_aliases_to_exprs,
+use super::{
+    parser::DFParser,
+    utils::{
+        can_columns_satisfy_exprs, expand_wildcard, expr_as_column_expr, extract_aliases,
+        find_aggregate_exprs, find_column_exprs, rebase_expr, resolve_aliases_to_exprs,
+    },
 };
 
 /// The ContextProvider trait allows the query planner to obtain meta-data about tables and
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@ impl<'a, S: ContextProvider> SqlToRel<'a, S> {
                 analyze: _,
             } => self.explain_statement_to_plan(*verbose, &statement),
             Statement::Query(query) => self.query_to_plan(&query),
+            Statement::ShowVariable { variable } => self.show_variable_to_plan(&variable),
             _ => Err(DataFusionError::NotImplemented(
                 "Only SELECT statements are implemented".to_string(),
             )),
@@ -1271,6 +1275,36 @@ impl<'a, S: ContextProvider> SqlToRel<'a, S> {
         let result: i64 = (result_days << 32) | result_millis;
         Ok(Expr::Literal(ScalarValue::IntervalDayTime(Some(result))))
     }
+
+    fn show_variable_to_plan(&self, variable: &[Ident]) -> Result<LogicalPlan> {
+        // Special case SHOW TABLES
+        let variable = ObjectName(variable.to_vec()).to_string();
+        if variable.as_str().eq_ignore_ascii_case("tables") {
+            let tables_reference = TableReference::Partial {
+                schema: "information_schema",
+                table: "tables",
+            };
+            if self
+                .schema_provider
+                .get_table_provider(tables_reference)
+                .is_some()
+            {
+                let rewrite =
+                    DFParser::parse_sql("SELECT * FROM information_schema.tables;")?;
+                self.statement_to_plan(&rewrite[0])
+            } else {
+                Err(DataFusionError::Plan(
+                    "SHOW TABLES is not supported unless information_schema is enabled"
+                        .to_string(),
+                ))
+            }
+        } else {
+            Err(DataFusionError::NotImplemented(format!(
+                "SHOW {} not implemented. Supported syntax: SHOW <TABLES>",
+                variable
+            )))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// Remove join expressions from a filter expression