diff --git a/gcloud/bigtable/client.py b/gcloud/bigtable/client.py
index d04d6cf39510..49faf42c8a25 100644
--- a/gcloud/bigtable/client.py
+++ b/gcloud/bigtable/client.py
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ def start(self):
     def __enter__(self):
         """Starts the client as a context manager."""
         self.start()
+        return self
 
     def stop(self):
         """Closes all the open gRPC clients."""
diff --git a/gcloud/bigtable/test_client.py b/gcloud/bigtable/test_client.py
index 1b13ef804cf9..bb424ad259b1 100644
--- a/gcloud/bigtable/test_client.py
+++ b/gcloud/bigtable/test_client.py
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ def test_context_manager(self):
             self.assertTrue(client.is_started())
         self.assertFalse(client.is_started())
 
+    def test_context_manager_as_keyword(self):
+        with self._context_manager_helper() as client:
+            self.assertIsNotNone(client)
+
     def test_context_manager_with_exception(self):
         client = self._context_manager_helper()
         self.assertFalse(client.is_started())