diff --git a/go/mysql/conn.go b/go/mysql/conn.go
index 9ee244b6dd4..adf44dac897 100644
--- a/go/mysql/conn.go
+++ b/go/mysql/conn.go
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqlescape"
+
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/bucketpool"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqltypes"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sync2"
@@ -774,7 +776,7 @@ func (c *Conn) handleNextCommand(handler Handler) error {
 	case ComInitDB:
 		db := c.parseComInitDB(data)
 		c.recycleReadPacket()
-		if err := c.execQuery(fmt.Sprintf("use `%s`", db), handler, false); err != nil {
+		if err := c.execQuery("use "+sqlescape.EscapeID(db), handler, false); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	case ComQuery:
diff --git a/go/mysql/server.go b/go/mysql/server.go
index bc6e1e93266..bc3ecc8dea7 100644
--- a/go/mysql/server.go
+++ b/go/mysql/server.go
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ package mysql
 
 import (
 	"crypto/tls"
-	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqlescape"
+
 	proxyproto "github.com/pires/go-proxyproto"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/netutil"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqltypes"
@@ -443,7 +444,7 @@ func (l *Listener) handle(conn net.Conn, connectionID uint32, acceptTime time.Ti
 
 	// Set initial db name.
 	if c.schemaName != "" {
-		err = l.handler.ComQuery(c, fmt.Sprintf("use `%s`", c.schemaName), func(result *sqltypes.Result) error {
+		err = l.handler.ComQuery(c, "use "+sqlescape.EscapeID(c.schemaName), func(result *sqltypes.Result) error {
 			return nil
 		})
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_lock_tables.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_lock_tables.go
index 149991bb3d8..71163e70bcb 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_lock_tables.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_lock_tables.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) lockTablesUsingLockTables(conn *dbconnpool.DBConnection
 		tableNames = append(tableNames, fmt.Sprintf("%s READ", sqlescape.EscapeID(name)))
 	}
 	lockStatement := fmt.Sprintf("LOCK TABLES %v", strings.Join(tableNames, ", "))
-	_, err := conn.ExecuteFetch(fmt.Sprintf("USE %s", tm.DBConfigs.DBName), 0, false)
+	_, err := conn.ExecuteFetch("USE "+sqlescape.EscapeID(tm.DBConfigs.DBName), 0, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query.go
index 1c919764ff8..70775bee7c6 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package tabletmanager
 
 import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqlescape"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqltypes"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/log"
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) ExecuteFetchAsDba(ctx context.Context, query []byte, db
 	if dbName != "" {
 		// This execute might fail if db does not exist.
 		// Error is ignored because given query might create this database.
-		conn.ExecuteFetch("USE "+dbName, 1, false)
+		conn.ExecuteFetch("USE "+sqlescape.EscapeID(dbName), 1, false)
 	}
 
 	// run the query
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) ExecuteFetchAsAllPrivs(ctx context.Context, query []byt
 	if dbName != "" {
 		// This execute might fail if db does not exist.
 		// Error is ignored because given query might create this database.
-		conn.ExecuteFetch("USE "+dbName, 1, false)
+		conn.ExecuteFetch("USE "+sqlescape.EscapeID(dbName), 1, false)
 	}
 
 	// run the query
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d5b386ce3ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/rpc_query_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2020 The Vitess Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package tabletmanager
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqltypes"
+
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql/fakesqldb"
+
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/dbconfigs"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/mysqlctl/fakemysqldaemon"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttablet/tabletservermock"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestTabletManager_ExecuteFetchAsDba(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cp := mysql.ConnParams{}
+	db := fakesqldb.New(t)
+	db.AddQueryPattern(".*", &sqltypes.Result{})
+	daemon := fakemysqldaemon.NewFakeMysqlDaemon(db)
+
+	dbName := " escap`e me "
+	tm := &TabletManager{
+		MysqlDaemon:         daemon,
+		DBConfigs:           dbconfigs.NewTestDBConfigs(cp, cp, dbName),
+		QueryServiceControl: tabletservermock.NewController(),
+	}
+
+	_, err := tm.ExecuteFetchAsDba(ctx, []byte("select 42"), dbName, 10, false, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "use ` escap``e me `;select 42", db.QueryLog())
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/apply_schema_flaky_test.go b/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/apply_schema_flaky_test.go
index 534d2fff8e2..e2a0b438160 100644
--- a/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/apply_schema_flaky_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/apply_schema_flaky_test.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func TestApplySchema_AllowLongUnavailability(t *testing.T) {
 		ft.FakeMysqlDaemon.PreflightSchemaChangeResult = preflightSchemaChanges
 	}
 
-	changeToDb := "USE vt_ks"
+	changeToDb := "USE `vt_ks`"
 	addColumn := "ALTER TABLE table1 ADD COLUMN new_id bigint(20)"
 	db.AddQuery(changeToDb, &sqltypes.Result{})
 	db.AddQuery(addColumn, &sqltypes.Result{})
diff --git a/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/copy_schema_shard_test.go b/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/copy_schema_shard_test.go
index 35523a7dd26..bd758a019d4 100644
--- a/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/copy_schema_shard_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/wrangler/testlib/copy_schema_shard_test.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func copySchema(t *testing.T, useShardAsSource bool) {
 	sourceMaster.FakeMysqlDaemon.Schema = schema
 	sourceRdonly.FakeMysqlDaemon.Schema = schema
 
-	changeToDb := "USE vt_ks"
+	changeToDb := "USE `vt_ks`"
 	createDb := "CREATE DATABASE `vt_ks` /*!40100 DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 */"
 	createTable := "CREATE TABLE `vt_ks`.`table1` (\n" +
 		"  `id` bigint(20) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,\n" +