diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mysql.rs b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mysql.rs
index 2b0b25b15..13087def2 100644
--- a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mysql.rs
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mysql.rs
@@ -535,14 +535,28 @@ fn mysql_ssl_opts(
 
 fn mysql_setup_queries(url: &str) -> Vec<String> {
     let charset = mysql_connection_charset(url).unwrap_or("utf8mb4");
+    let catalog = mysql_connection_catalog(url);
+    let database = mysql_connection_database(url);
     let mut queries = Vec::new();
-    if let Some(database) = mysql_connection_database(url) {
-        queries.push(format!("USE {}", quote_identifier(&database)));
+    if let Some(database) = database.as_deref() {
+        queries.push(format!("USE {}", quote_identifier(database)));
     }
     if let Some(time_zone) = mysql_connection_time_zone(url) {
         queries.push(format!("SET time_zone = {}", quote_value(&time_zone)));
     }
     queries.push(format!("SET NAMES {charset}"));
+    // StarRocks/Doris expose external storage (Paimon, Hive, ...) through a
+    // catalog. `SET catalog` must run *before* `USE <database>` (the database
+    // lives in the external catalog and is unknown to the default one).
+    // mysql_async drains the setup list back-to-front (Vec::pop), so push it
+    // last to make it execute first. The handshake does not send the database
+    // as schema (see `mysql_async_url`, which strips the path when a catalog is
+    // configured), so the connection establishes in the default catalog and
+    // this setup query is what switches it. The pool re-runs these queries
+    // after every connection reset, so the catalog stays current.
+    if let Some(catalog) = catalog.as_deref() {
+        queries.push(format!("SET catalog = {}", quote_identifier(catalog)));
+    }
     queries
 }
 
@@ -622,6 +636,26 @@ fn mysql_connection_database(url: &str) -> Option<String> {
     percent_decode_str(database).decode_utf8().ok().map(|value| value.into_owned())
 }
 
+/// Extracts an opt-in `catalog=<name>` URL parameter. dbx strips it from the
+/// URL before handing it to mysql_async (see `is_dbx_handled_mysql_url_param`)
+/// and instead emits `SET catalog = <name>` during connection setup. This is
+/// how StarRocks/Doris connections reach an external catalog such as Paimon.
+fn mysql_connection_catalog(url: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    let (_, query) = url.split_once('?')?;
+    let query = query.split('#').next().unwrap_or(query);
+    query.split('&').find_map(|segment| {
+        let (key, value) = segment.split_once('=')?;
+        if !key.eq_ignore_ascii_case("catalog") {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let value = value.trim();
+        if value.is_empty() {
+            return None;
+        }
+        percent_decode_str(value).decode_utf8().ok().map(|value| value.into_owned())
+    })
+}
+
 fn is_safe_mysql_charset_name(value: &str) -> bool {
     !value.is_empty() && value.bytes().all(|byte| byte.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || byte == b'_')
 }
@@ -853,6 +887,7 @@ fn is_dbx_handled_mysql_url_param(key: &str) -> bool {
     matches!(
         key.to_ascii_lowercase().as_str(),
         "charset"
+            | "catalog"
             | "time_zone"
             | "time-zone"
             | "timezone"
@@ -866,6 +901,20 @@ fn is_dbx_handled_mysql_url_param(key: &str) -> bool {
     )
 }
 
+/// Strips the database path from a `mysql://[user[:pass]@]host[:port][/path]`
+/// URL, returning only the scheme and authority. Used so mysql_async does not
+/// send the database as the schema during the MySQL handshake (StarRocks would
+/// reject an external-catalog database before `SET catalog` runs in setup).
+fn strip_mysql_url_path(base: &str) -> &str {
+    let Some(rest) = base.strip_prefix("mysql://") else {
+        return base;
+    };
+    match rest.find('/') {
+        Some(idx) => &base[.."mysql://".len() + idx],
+        None => base,
+    }
+}
+
 fn mysql_async_url(url: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
     let Some((base, query)) = url.split_once('?') else {
         return Cow::Borrowed(url);
@@ -874,6 +923,7 @@ fn mysql_async_url(url: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
     let original_count = query.split('&').filter(|segment| !segment.trim().is_empty()).count();
     let mut filtered: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
     let mut changed = false;
+    let mut has_catalog = false;
     for segment in query.split('&') {
         let segment = segment.trim();
         if segment.is_empty() {
@@ -885,6 +935,9 @@ fn mysql_async_url(url: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
             filtered.push(segment.to_string());
             continue;
         };
+        if key.eq_ignore_ascii_case("catalog") {
+            has_catalog = true;
+        }
         if is_dbx_handled_mysql_url_param(key) {
             changed = true;
             continue;
@@ -914,7 +967,12 @@ fn mysql_async_url(url: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
         filtered.push(segment.to_string());
     }
 
-    if !changed && filtered.len() == original_count {
+    // When a catalog is configured, the database in the URL path must not be
+    // sent as the schema during the MySQL handshake. Strip the path so mysql_async
+    // connects without a default schema; the database is selected via setup queries.
+    let base = if has_catalog { strip_mysql_url_path(base) } else { base };
+
+    if !changed && filtered.len() == original_count && !has_catalog {
         Cow::Borrowed(url)
     } else if filtered.is_empty() {
         Cow::Owned(base.to_string())
@@ -2779,6 +2837,29 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(mysql_async_url(url).as_ref(), "mysql://host:3306/db?require_ssl=true");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_async_url_strips_database_path_when_catalog_present() {
+        // With a catalog configured, the database path must not reach mysql_async
+        // (it would be sent as the handshake schema and rejected before SET catalog).
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_async_url("mysql://root:secret@host:3306/clip?catalog=paimon_catalog").as_ref(),
+            "mysql://root:secret@host:3306"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_async_url("mysql://host:3306/clip?catalog=paimon_catalog&require_ssl=true").as_ref(),
+            "mysql://host:3306?require_ssl=true"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_async_url_keeps_database_path_when_catalog_absent() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_async_url("mysql://host:3306/clip?require_ssl=true").as_ref(),
+            "mysql://host:3306/clip?require_ssl=true"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(mysql_async_url("mysql://host:3306/clip").as_ref(), "mysql://host:3306/clip");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn ssl_fallback_does_not_disable_required_tls() {
         assert_eq!(ssl_fallback_url("mysql://host:3306/db?require_ssl=true&charset=utf8mb4"), None);
@@ -2845,4 +2926,35 @@ mod tests {
             vec!["USE `db`", "SET NAMES utf8mb4"]
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_setup_queries_switch_catalog_when_present() {
+        // `SET catalog` is pushed last so mysql_async's back-to-front setup
+        // execution (Vec::pop) runs it before `USE <database>`.
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_setup_queries("mysql://host:3306/clip?catalog=paimon_catalog"),
+            vec!["USE `clip`", "SET NAMES utf8mb4", "SET catalog = `paimon_catalog`"]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_setup_queries_switch_catalog_without_database() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_setup_queries("mysql://host:3306/?catalog=paimon_catalog"),
+            vec!["SET NAMES utf8mb4", "SET catalog = `paimon_catalog`"]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_setup_queries_decodes_catalog_parameter() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            mysql_setup_queries("mysql://host:3306/db?catalog=my%5Fcatalog"),
+            vec!["USE `db`", "SET NAMES utf8mb4", "SET catalog = `my_catalog`"]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn mysql_setup_queries_omits_catalog_when_absent() {
+        assert_eq!(mysql_setup_queries("mysql://host:3306/db?charset=utf8mb4"), vec!["USE `db`", "SET NAMES utf8mb4"]);
+    }
 }