diff --git a/engine_test.go b/engine_test.go
index 100419ed7..81824b0db 100644
--- a/engine_test.go
+++ b/engine_test.go
@@ -448,6 +448,8 @@ var queries = []struct {
 			{"sql_mode", ""},
 			{"gtid_mode", int32(0)},
 			{"collation_database", "utf8_bin"},
+			{"ndbinfo_version", ""},
+			{"sql_select_limit", math.MaxInt32},
 		},
 	},
 	{
@@ -556,6 +558,43 @@ func TestQueries(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestSessionDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := newCtx()
+	ctx.Session.Set("auto_increment_increment", sql.Int64, 0)
+	ctx.Session.Set("max_allowed_packet", sql.Int64, 0)
+	ctx.Session.Set("sql_select_limit", sql.Int64, 0)
+	ctx.Session.Set("ndbinfo_version", sql.Text, "non default value")
+
+	q := `SET @@auto_increment_increment=DEFAULT,
+			  @@max_allowed_packet=DEFAULT,
+			  @@sql_select_limit=DEFAULT,
+			  @@ndbinfo_version=DEFAULT`
+
+	e := newEngine(t)
+
+	defaults := sql.DefaultSessionConfig()
+	t.Run(q, func(t *testing.T) {
+		require := require.New(t)
+		_, _, err := e.Query(ctx, q)
+		require.NoError(err)
+
+		typ, val := ctx.Get("auto_increment_increment")
+		require.Equal(defaults["auto_increment_increment"].Typ, typ)
+		require.Equal(defaults["auto_increment_increment"].Value, val)
+
+		typ, val = ctx.Get("max_allowed_packet")
+		require.Equal(defaults["max_allowed_packet"].Typ, typ)
+		require.Equal(defaults["max_allowed_packet"].Value, val)
+
+		typ, val = ctx.Get("sql_select_limit")
+		require.Equal(defaults["sql_select_limit"].Typ, typ)
+		require.Equal(defaults["sql_select_limit"].Value, val)
+
+		typ, val = ctx.Get("ndbinfo_version")
+		require.Equal(defaults["ndbinfo_version"].Typ, typ)
+		require.Equal(defaults["ndbinfo_version"].Value, val)
+	})
+}
 func TestWarnings(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := newCtx()
 	ctx.Session.Warn(&sql.Warning{Code: 1})
diff --git a/sql/expression/default.go b/sql/expression/default.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7d1153beb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sql/expression/default.go
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package expression
+
+import (
+	"gopkg.in/src-d/go-mysql-server.v0/sql"
+)
+
+// DefaultColumn is an default expression of a column that is not yet resolved.
+type DefaultColumn struct {
+	name string
+}
+
+// NewDefaultColumn creates a new NewDefaultColumn expression.
+func NewDefaultColumn(name string) *DefaultColumn {
+	return &DefaultColumn{name: name}
+}
+
+// Children implements the sql.Expression interface.
+// The function returns always nil
+func (*DefaultColumn) Children() []sql.Expression {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Resolved implements the sql.Expression interface.
+// The function returns always false
+func (*DefaultColumn) Resolved() bool {
+	return false
+}
+
+// IsNullable implements the sql.Expression interface.
+// The function always panics!
+func (*DefaultColumn) IsNullable() bool {
+	panic("default column is a placeholder node, but IsNullable was called")
+}
+
+// Type implements the sql.Expression interface.
+// The function always panics!
+func (*DefaultColumn) Type() sql.Type {
+	panic("default column is a placeholder node, but Type was called")
+}
+
+// Name implements the sql.Nameable interface.
+func (c *DefaultColumn) Name() string { return c.name }
+
+// String implements the Stringer
+// The function returns column's name (can be an empty string)
+func (c *DefaultColumn) String() string {
+	return c.name
+}
+
+// Eval implements the sql.Expression interface.
+// The function always panics!
+func (*DefaultColumn) Eval(ctx *sql.Context, r sql.Row) (interface{}, error) {
+	panic("default column is a placeholder node, but Eval was called")
+}
+
+// TransformUp implements the sql.Expression interface.
+func (c *DefaultColumn) TransformUp(f sql.TransformExprFunc) (sql.Expression, error) {
+	n := *c
+	return f(&n)
+}
diff --git a/sql/parse/parse.go b/sql/parse/parse.go
index dd1867e68..6f5589496 100644
--- a/sql/parse/parse.go
+++ b/sql/parse/parse.go
@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@ func convertSet(ctx *sql.Context, n *sqlparser.Set) (sql.Node, error) {
 
 		name := strings.TrimSpace(e.Name.Lowered())
 		if expr, err = expr.TransformUp(func(e sql.Expression) (sql.Expression, error) {
+			if _, ok := e.(*expression.DefaultColumn); ok {
+				return e, nil
+			}
+
 			if !e.Resolved() || e.Type() != sql.Text {
 				return e, nil
 			}
@@ -176,13 +180,13 @@ func convertSet(ctx *sql.Context, n *sqlparser.Set) (sql.Node, error) {
 			}
 
 			switch strings.ToLower(val) {
-			case "on":
+			case sqlparser.KeywordString(sqlparser.ON):
 				return expression.NewLiteral(int64(1), sql.Int64), nil
-			case "true":
+			case sqlparser.KeywordString(sqlparser.TRUE):
 				return expression.NewLiteral(true, sql.Boolean), nil
-			case "off":
+			case sqlparser.KeywordString(sqlparser.OFF):
 				return expression.NewLiteral(int64(0), sql.Int64), nil
-			case "false":
+			case sqlparser.KeywordString(sqlparser.FALSE):
 				return expression.NewLiteral(false, sql.Boolean), nil
 			}
 
@@ -632,6 +636,8 @@ func exprToExpression(e sqlparser.Expr) (sql.Expression, error) {
 	switch v := e.(type) {
 	default:
 		return nil, ErrUnsupportedSyntax.New(e)
+	case *sqlparser.Default:
+		return expression.NewDefaultColumn(v.ColName), nil
 	case *sqlparser.SubstrExpr:
 		name, err := exprToExpression(v.Name)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/sql/parse/parse_test.go b/sql/parse/parse_test.go
index cce64a83a..d06b256e9 100644
--- a/sql/parse/parse_test.go
+++ b/sql/parse/parse_test.go
@@ -729,6 +729,18 @@ var fixtures = map[string]sql.Node{
 			Value: expression.NewLiteral(int64(700), sql.Int64),
 		},
 	),
+	`SET gtid_mode=DEFAULT`: plan.NewSet(
+		plan.SetVariable{
+			Name:  "gtid_mode",
+			Value: expression.NewDefaultColumn(""),
+		},
+	),
+	`SET @@sql_select_limit=default`: plan.NewSet(
+		plan.SetVariable{
+			Name:  "@@sql_select_limit",
+			Value: expression.NewDefaultColumn(""),
+		},
+	),
 	`/*!40101 SET NAMES utf8 */`: plan.Nothing,
 	`SELECT /*!40101 SET NAMES utf8 */ * FROM foo`: plan.NewProject(
 		[]sql.Expression{
diff --git a/sql/plan/set.go b/sql/plan/set.go
index ae47d353f..0c852587a 100644
--- a/sql/plan/set.go
+++ b/sql/plan/set.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"gopkg.in/src-d/go-mysql-server.v0/sql"
+	"gopkg.in/src-d/go-mysql-server.v0/sql/expression"
 	"gopkg.in/src-d/go-vitess.v1/vt/sqlparser"
 )
 
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@ func NewSet(vars ...SetVariable) *Set {
 // Resolved implements the sql.Node interface.
 func (s *Set) Resolved() bool {
 	for _, v := range s.Variables {
+		if _, ok := v.Value.(*expression.DefaultColumn); ok {
+			continue
+		}
 		if !v.Value.Resolved() {
 			return false
 		}
@@ -83,10 +87,11 @@ func (s *Set) RowIter(ctx *sql.Context) (sql.RowIter, error) {
 		globalPrefix  = sqlparser.GlobalStr + "."
 	)
 	for _, v := range s.Variables {
-		value, err := v.Value.Eval(ctx, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		var (
+			value interface{}
+			typ   sql.Type
+			err   error
+		)
 
 		name := strings.TrimLeft(v.Name, "@")
 		if strings.HasPrefix(name, sessionPrefix) {
@@ -95,7 +100,21 @@ func (s *Set) RowIter(ctx *sql.Context) (sql.RowIter, error) {
 			name = name[len(globalPrefix):]
 		}
 
-		ctx.Set(name, v.Value.Type(), value)
+		if _, ok := v.Value.(*expression.DefaultColumn); ok {
+			valtyp, ok := sql.DefaultSessionConfig()[name]
+			if !ok {
+				continue
+			}
+			value, typ = valtyp.Value, valtyp.Typ
+		} else {
+			value, err = v.Value.Eval(ctx, nil)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			typ = v.Value.Type()
+		}
+
+		ctx.Set(name, typ, value)
 	}
 
 	return sql.RowsToRowIter(), nil
diff --git a/sql/plan/set_test.go b/sql/plan/set_test.go
index 3f8b97034..7241b64ff 100644
--- a/sql/plan/set_test.go
+++ b/sql/plan/set_test.go
@@ -30,3 +30,44 @@ func TestSet(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(sql.Int64, typ)
 	require.Equal(int64(1), v)
 }
+
+func TestSetDesfault(t *testing.T) {
+	require := require.New(t)
+
+	ctx := sql.NewContext(context.Background(), sql.WithSession(sql.NewBaseSession()))
+
+	s := NewSet(
+		SetVariable{"auto_increment_increment", expression.NewLiteral(int64(123), sql.Int64)},
+		SetVariable{"@@sql_select_limit", expression.NewLiteral(int64(1), sql.Int64)},
+	)
+
+	_, err := s.RowIter(ctx)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	typ, v := ctx.Get("auto_increment_increment")
+	require.Equal(sql.Int64, typ)
+	require.Equal(int64(123), v)
+
+	typ, v = ctx.Get("sql_select_limit")
+	require.Equal(sql.Int64, typ)
+	require.Equal(int64(1), v)
+
+	s = NewSet(
+		SetVariable{"auto_increment_increment", expression.NewDefaultColumn("")},
+		SetVariable{"@@sql_select_limit", expression.NewDefaultColumn("")},
+	)
+
+	_, err = s.RowIter(ctx)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	defaults := sql.DefaultSessionConfig()
+
+	typ, v = ctx.Get("auto_increment_increment")
+	require.Equal(defaults["auto_increment_increment"].Typ, typ)
+	require.Equal(defaults["auto_increment_increment"].Value, v)
+
+	typ, v = ctx.Get("sql_select_limit")
+	require.Equal(defaults["sql_select_limit"].Typ, typ)
+	require.Equal(defaults["sql_select_limit"].Value, v)
+
+}
diff --git a/sql/session.go b/sql/session.go
index 3753380bd..53ca7d246 100644
--- a/sql/session.go
+++ b/sql/session.go
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ type (
 	}
 )
 
-func defaultSessionConfig() map[string]TypedValue {
+// DefaultSessionConfig returns default values for session variables
+func DefaultSessionConfig() map[string]TypedValue {
 	return map[string]TypedValue{
 		"auto_increment_increment": TypedValue{Int64, int64(1)},
 		"time_zone":                TypedValue{Text, time.Local.String()},
@@ -146,6 +147,8 @@ func defaultSessionConfig() map[string]TypedValue {
 		"sql_mode":                 TypedValue{Text, ""},
 		"gtid_mode":                TypedValue{Int32, int32(0)},
 		"collation_database":       TypedValue{Text, "utf8_bin"},
+		"ndbinfo_version":          TypedValue{Text, ""},
+		"sql_select_limit":         TypedValue{Int32, math.MaxInt32},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -155,13 +158,13 @@ func NewSession(address string, user string, id uint32) Session {
 		id:     id,
 		addr:   address,
 		user:   user,
-		config: defaultSessionConfig(),
+		config: DefaultSessionConfig(),
 	}
 }
 
 // NewBaseSession creates a new empty session.
 func NewBaseSession() Session {
-	return &BaseSession{config: defaultSessionConfig()}
+	return &BaseSession{config: DefaultSessionConfig()}
 }
 
 // Context of the query execution.