diff --git a/nodejs/__test__/remote.test.ts b/nodejs/__test__/remote.test.ts
index 89a9e992c..dbdd6b370 100644
--- a/nodejs/__test__/remote.test.ts
+++ b/nodejs/__test__/remote.test.ts
@@ -56,18 +56,17 @@ async function withMockDatabase(
   const server = http.createServer(listener);
   server.listen(8000);
 
-  const db = await connect(
-    "db://dev",
-    Object.assign(
-      {
-        apiKey: "fake",
-        hostOverride: "http://localhost:8000",
-      },
-      connectionOptions,
-    ),
-  );
-
   try {
+    const db = await connect(
+      "db://dev",
+      Object.assign(
+        {
+          apiKey: "fake",
+          hostOverride: "http://localhost:8000",
+        },
+        connectionOptions,
+      ),
+    );
     await callback(db);
   } finally {
     server.close();
@@ -125,6 +124,33 @@ describe("remote connection", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("uses LANCEDB_API_KEY when apiKey is not provided", async () => {
+    const previousApiKey = process.env.LANCEDB_API_KEY;
+    process.env.LANCEDB_API_KEY = "env-key";
+
+    try {
+      await withMockDatabase(
+        (req, res) => {
+          expect(req.headers["x-api-key"]).toEqual("env-key");
+
+          const body = JSON.stringify({ tables: [] });
+          res.writeHead(200, { "Content-Type": "application/json" }).end(body);
+        },
+        async (db) => {
+          const tableNames = await db.tableNames();
+          expect(tableNames).toEqual([]);
+        },
+        { apiKey: undefined },
+      );
+    } finally {
+      if (previousApiKey === undefined) {
+        delete process.env.LANCEDB_API_KEY;
+      } else {
+        process.env.LANCEDB_API_KEY = previousApiKey;
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
   it("allows customizing user agent", async () => {
     await withMockDatabase(
       (req, res) => {
diff --git a/nodejs/lancedb/index.ts b/nodejs/lancedb/index.ts
index 319222421..0e27acc9a 100644
--- a/nodejs/lancedb/index.ts
+++ b/nodejs/lancedb/index.ts
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ export async function connect(
   }
 
   finalOptions = (finalOptions as ConnectionOptions) ?? {};
+  finalOptions.apiKey ??= process.env.LANCEDB_API_KEY;
   (<ConnectionOptions>finalOptions).storageOptions = cleanseStorageOptions(
     (<ConnectionOptions>finalOptions).storageOptions,
   );