diff --git a/go/vt/vtgateproxy/discovery.go b/go/vt/vtgateproxy/discovery.go
index e71fd14f3c9..a396237bad3 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgateproxy/discovery.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgateproxy/discovery.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/attributes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/resolver"
 
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/stats"
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ import (
 // type: Only select from hosts of this type (required)
 //
 
+const PoolTypeAttr = "PoolType"
+
 // Resolver(https://godoc.org/google.golang.org/grpc/resolver#Resolver).
 type JSONGateResolver struct {
 	target     resolver.Target
@@ -385,7 +388,7 @@ func (b *JSONGateResolverBuilder) update(r *JSONGateResolver) error {
 
 	var addrs []resolver.Address
 	for _, target := range targets {
-		addrs = append(addrs, resolver.Address{Addr: target.Addr})
+		addrs = append(addrs, resolver.Address{Addr: target.Addr, Attributes: attributes.New(PoolTypeAttr, r.poolType)})
 	}
 
 	log.V(100).Infof("updated targets for %s to %v", r.target.URL.String(), targets)
diff --git a/go/vt/vtgateproxy/firstready_balancer.go b/go/vt/vtgateproxy/firstready_balancer.go
index ed884224c64..d9dd380861b 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgateproxy/firstready_balancer.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgateproxy/firstready_balancer.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import (
 
 // newBuilder creates a new first_ready balancer builder.
 func newBuilder() balancer.Builder {
-	return base.NewBalancerBuilder("first_ready", &frPickerBuilder{}, base.Config{HealthCheck: true})
+	return base.NewBalancerBuilder("first_ready", &frPickerBuilder{currentConns: map[string]balancer.SubConn{}}, base.Config{HealthCheck: true})
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ func init() {
 // Once a conn is chosen and is in the ready state, it will remain as the
 // active subconn even if other connections become available.
 type frPickerBuilder struct {
-	mu          sync.Mutex
-	currentConn balancer.SubConn
+	mu           sync.Mutex
+	currentConns map[string]balancer.SubConn
 }
 
 func (f *frPickerBuilder) Build(info base.PickerBuildInfo) balancer.Picker {
@@ -68,33 +68,35 @@ func (f *frPickerBuilder) Build(info base.PickerBuildInfo) balancer.Picker {
 	f.mu.Lock()
 	defer f.mu.Unlock()
 
-	// If we've already chosen a subconn, and it is still in the ready list, then
-	// no need to change state
-	if f.currentConn != nil {
-		log.V(100).Infof("first_ready: currentConn is active, checking if still ready")
-		for sc := range info.ReadySCs {
-			if f.currentConn == sc {
-				log.V(100).Infof("first_ready: currentConn still active - not changing")
-				return f
-			}
+	// First check if there is a previously chosen subconn in the ready list
+	for sc, scInfo := range info.ReadySCs {
+		// poolType is a required attribute to be set by discovery
+		poolType := scInfo.Address.Attributes.Value(PoolTypeAttr).(string)
+		currentConn := f.currentConns[poolType]
+		if currentConn == sc {
+			log.V(100).Infof("first_ready: conn for pool %s still active - keeping addr %s", poolType, scInfo.Address.Addr)
+			return &frPicker{sc}
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Otherwise either we don't have an active conn or the conn we were using is
 	// no longer active, so pick an arbitrary new one out of the map.
-	log.V(100).Infof("first_ready: currentConn is not active, picking a new one")
-	for sc := range info.ReadySCs {
-		f.currentConn = sc
-		break
+	for sc, scInfo := range info.ReadySCs {
+		poolType := scInfo.Address.Attributes.Value(PoolTypeAttr).(string)
+		log.V(100).Infof("first_ready: conn for pool %s not active - picked %s", poolType, scInfo.Address.Addr)
+		f.currentConns[poolType] = sc
+		return &frPicker{sc}
 	}
 
-	return f
+	return base.NewErrPicker(errors.New("error should not be reachable"))
 }
 
-// Pick simply returns the currently chosen conn
-func (f *frPickerBuilder) Pick(balancer.PickInfo) (balancer.PickResult, error) {
-	f.mu.Lock()
-	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+// frPicker is a trivial picker that just wraps the one chosen conn
+type frPicker struct {
+	currentConn balancer.SubConn
+}
 
-	return balancer.PickResult{SubConn: f.currentConn}, nil
+// Pick simply returns the currently chosen conn
+func (p *frPicker) Pick(balancer.PickInfo) (balancer.PickResult, error) {
+	return balancer.PickResult{SubConn: p.currentConn}, nil
 }