diff --git a/go/mysql/conn_params.go b/go/mysql/conn_params.go
index 053e662b165..ae739c9b59c 100644
--- a/go/mysql/conn_params.go
+++ b/go/mysql/conn_params.go
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ type ConnParams struct {
 	SslCert    string `json:"ssl_cert"`
 	SslKey     string `json:"ssl_key"`
 	ServerName string `json:"server_name"`
+
+	// The following is only set when the deprecated "dbname" flags are
+	// supplied and will be removed.
+	DeprecatedDBName string
 }
 
 // EnableSSL will set the right flag on the parameters.
diff --git a/go/vt/dbconfigs/dbconfigs.go b/go/vt/dbconfigs/dbconfigs.go
index 802a5376c7f..5df9aa2d7da 100644
--- a/go/vt/dbconfigs/dbconfigs.go
+++ b/go/vt/dbconfigs/dbconfigs.go
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ func registerPerUserFlags(dbc *userConfig, userKey string) {
 	flag.StringVar(&dbc.param.SslCaPath, "db-config-"+userKey+"-ssl-ca-path", "", "deprecated: use db_ssl_ca_path")
 	flag.StringVar(&dbc.param.SslCert, "db-config-"+userKey+"-ssl-cert", "", "deprecated: use db_ssl_cert")
 	flag.StringVar(&dbc.param.SslKey, "db-config-"+userKey+"-ssl-key", "", "deprecated: use db_ssl_key")
+
+	flag.StringVar(&dbc.param.DeprecatedDBName, "db-config-"+userKey+"-dbname", "", "deprecated: dbname does not need to be explicitly configured")
+
 }
 
 // AppWithDB returns connection parameters for app with dbname set.