diff --git a/google/cloud/spanner_v1/client.py b/google/cloud/spanner_v1/client.py
index 0759fcff23..52bc796431 100644
--- a/google/cloud/spanner_v1/client.py
+++ b/google/cloud/spanner_v1/client.py
@@ -192,7 +192,10 @@ def __init__(
         #       will have no impact since the _http() @property only lazily
         #       creates a working HTTP object.
         super(Client, self).__init__(
-            project=project, credentials=credentials, _http=None
+            project=project,
+            credentials=credentials,
+            client_options=client_options,
+            _http=None,
         )
         self._client_info = client_info
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index eeddbb6932..498179106f 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 release_status = "Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable"
 dependencies = [
     "google-api-core[grpc, grpcgcp] >= 1.14.0, < 2.0.0dev",
-    "google-cloud-core >= 1.0.3, < 2.0dev",
+    "google-cloud-core >= 1.4.1, < 2.0dev",
     "grpc-google-iam-v1 >= 0.12.3, < 0.13dev",
 ]
 extras = {}
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_client.py b/tests/unit/test_client.py
index 09cf61f9ab..7874ae68e9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_client.py
@@ -223,12 +223,13 @@ def test_constructor_custom_query_options_env_config(self, mock_ver):
     @mock.patch("google.cloud.spanner_v1.client._get_spanner_emulator_host")
     def test_instance_admin_api(self, mock_em):
         from google.cloud.spanner_v1.client import SPANNER_ADMIN_SCOPE
+        from google.api_core.client_options import ClientOptions
 
         mock_em.return_value = None
 
         credentials = _make_credentials()
         client_info = mock.Mock()
-        client_options = mock.Mock()
+        client_options = ClientOptions(quota_project_id="QUOTA-PROJECT")
         client = self._make_one(
             project=self.PROJECT,
             credentials=credentials,
@@ -248,19 +249,19 @@ def test_instance_admin_api(self, mock_em):
         self.assertIs(again, api)
 
         instance_admin_client.assert_called_once_with(
-            credentials=credentials.with_scopes.return_value,
-            client_info=client_info,
-            client_options=client_options,
+            credentials=mock.ANY, client_info=client_info, client_options=client_options
         )
 
         credentials.with_scopes.assert_called_once_with(expected_scopes)
 
     @mock.patch("google.cloud.spanner_v1.client._get_spanner_emulator_host")
     def test_instance_admin_api_emulator_env(self, mock_em):
+        from google.api_core.client_options import ClientOptions
+
         mock_em.return_value = "emulator.host"
         credentials = _make_credentials()
         client_info = mock.Mock()
-        client_options = mock.Mock()
+        client_options = ClientOptions(api_endpoint="endpoint")
         client = self._make_one(
             project=self.PROJECT,
             credentials=credentials,
@@ -321,11 +322,12 @@ def test_instance_admin_api_emulator_code(self):
     @mock.patch("google.cloud.spanner_v1.client._get_spanner_emulator_host")
     def test_database_admin_api(self, mock_em):
         from google.cloud.spanner_v1.client import SPANNER_ADMIN_SCOPE
+        from google.api_core.client_options import ClientOptions
 
         mock_em.return_value = None
         credentials = _make_credentials()
         client_info = mock.Mock()
-        client_options = mock.Mock()
+        client_options = ClientOptions(quota_project_id="QUOTA-PROJECT")
         client = self._make_one(
             project=self.PROJECT,
             credentials=credentials,
@@ -345,19 +347,19 @@ def test_database_admin_api(self, mock_em):
         self.assertIs(again, api)
 
         database_admin_client.assert_called_once_with(
-            credentials=credentials.with_scopes.return_value,
-            client_info=client_info,
-            client_options=client_options,
+            credentials=mock.ANY, client_info=client_info, client_options=client_options
         )
 
         credentials.with_scopes.assert_called_once_with(expected_scopes)
 
     @mock.patch("google.cloud.spanner_v1.client._get_spanner_emulator_host")
     def test_database_admin_api_emulator_env(self, mock_em):
+        from google.api_core.client_options import ClientOptions
+
         mock_em.return_value = "host:port"
         credentials = _make_credentials()
         client_info = mock.Mock()
-        client_options = mock.Mock()
+        client_options = ClientOptions(api_endpoint="endpoint")
         client = self._make_one(
             project=self.PROJECT,
             credentials=credentials,