diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/HttpClientRequest.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/HttpClientRequest.java
index 4387a9a6795..5b955e233d0 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/HttpClientRequest.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/HttpClientRequest.java
@@ -65,11 +65,16 @@ public interface HttpClientRequest extends WriteStream<Buffer> {
   HttpClientRequest drainHandler(Handler<Void> handler);
 
   /**
-   * Override the request authority, when using HTTP/1.x this overrides the request {@code host} header, when using
-   * HTTP/2 this sets the {@code authority} pseudo header. When the port is a negative value, the default
-   * scheme port will be used.
+   * Override the request authority initially set by the client.
    *
-   * <p>The default request authority is the server host and port when connecting to the server.
+   * <ul>
+   *   <li>when using HTTP/1.x this overrides the request {@code host} header</li>
+   *   <li>when using HTTP/2 this sets the {@code authority} pseudo header</li>
+   *
+   * When the port is a negative value, the default scheme port will be used.
+   *
+   * <p>According to the protocol, it can set to {@code null} (although it is not common), e.g. an HTTP/2 request
+   * can have a null authority when it carries an {@code host} header.</p>
    *
    * @param authority override the request authority
    * @return a reference to this, so the API can be used fluently
@@ -77,6 +82,11 @@ public interface HttpClientRequest extends WriteStream<Buffer> {
   @Fluent
   HttpClientRequest authority(HostAndPort authority);
 
+  /**
+   * @return the current request authority
+   */
+  HostAndPort authority();
+
   /**
    * Set the request to follow HTTP redirects up to {@link HttpClientOptions#getMaxRedirects()}.
    *
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientImpl.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientImpl.java
index 9ec95bef2a7..7aa63b9e92a 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientImpl.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientImpl.java
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ private Future<HttpClientRequest> doRequestDirectly(
         });
       });
     });
-    return wrap(httpMethod, requestURI, headers, traceOperation, idleTimeout, followRedirects, proxyOptions, fut2);
+    return wrap(authority, httpMethod, requestURI, headers, traceOperation, idleTimeout, followRedirects, proxyOptions, fut2);
   }
 
   private Future<HttpClientRequest> doRequest(
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ public Future<ConnectionObtainedResult> apply(SharedHttpClientConnectionGroup po
       // I think this is not possible - so remove it
       return streamCtx.failedFuture("Cannot resolve address " + server);
     } else {
-      return wrap(method, requestURI, headers, traceOperation, idleTimeout, followRedirects, null, future);
+      return wrap(authority, method, requestURI, headers, traceOperation, idleTimeout, followRedirects, null, future);
     }
   }
 
@@ -738,7 +738,8 @@ <T> Future<T> getPool(boolean resolveOrigin,
     return resourceManager.withResourceAsync(key, provider, (group, created) -> function.apply(group));
   }
 
-  private Future<HttpClientRequest> wrap(HttpMethod method,
+  private Future<HttpClientRequest> wrap(HostAndPort authority,
+                                         HttpMethod method,
                                          String requestURI,
                                          MultiMap headers,
                                          String traceOperation,
@@ -756,7 +757,7 @@ private Future<HttpClientRequest> wrap(HttpMethod method,
       options.setFollowRedirects(followRedirects);
       options.setTraceOperation(traceOperation);
       HttpClientStream stream = res.stream;
-      HttpClientRequestImpl request = createRequest(stream.connection(), stream, options);
+      HttpClientRequestImpl request = createRequest(authority, stream.connection(), stream, options);
       if (res.alternative != null) {
         String altUsedValue;
         int defaultPort = stream.connection().isSsl() ? 443 : 80;
@@ -787,8 +788,8 @@ public ConnectionObtainedResult(HttpClientStream stream, Lease<HttpClientConnect
     }
   }
 
-  HttpClientRequestImpl createRequest(HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream, RequestOptions options) {
-    HttpClientRequestImpl request = new HttpClientRequestImpl(connection, stream);
+  HttpClientRequestImpl createRequest(HostAndPort authority, HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream, RequestOptions options) {
+    HttpClientRequestImpl request = new HttpClientRequestImpl(authority, connection, stream);
     request.init(options);
     Function<HttpClientResponse, Future<RequestOptions>> rHandler = redirectHandler;
     if (rHandler != null) {
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientPush.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientPush.java
index c21e6be74ff..87f33f83541 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientPush.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientPush.java
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ public HttpClientStream stream() {
     return stream;
   }
 
+  public HostAndPort authority() {
+    return authority;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public long id() {
     return stream.id();
@@ -82,5 +86,4 @@ public String uri() {
   public HttpMethod method() {
     return method;
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestBase.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestBase.java
index ebd72d844ad..e68645accf7 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestBase.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestBase.java
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ public abstract class HttpClientRequestBase implements HttpClientRequestInternal
   private long lastDataReceived;
   protected Throwable reset;
 
-  HttpClientRequestBase(HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream, PromiseInternal<HttpClientResponse> responsePromise, HttpMethod method, String uri) {
+  HttpClientRequestBase(HostAndPort authority, HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream, PromiseInternal<HttpClientResponse> responsePromise, HttpMethod method, String uri) {
     this.connection = connection;
     this.stream = stream;
     this.responsePromise = responsePromise;
     this.context = responsePromise.context();
     this.uri = uri;
     this.method = method;
-    this.authority = stream.connection().authority();
+    this.authority = authority;
     this.ssl = stream.connection().isSsl();
 
     //
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public abstract class HttpClientRequestBase implements HttpClientRequestInternal
     });
   }
 
-  protected HostAndPort authority() {
+  public HostAndPort authority() {
     return authority;
   }
 
@@ -171,7 +171,12 @@ void fail(Throwable t) {
   }
 
   void handlePush(HttpClientPush push) {
-    HttpClientRequestPushPromise pushReq = new HttpClientRequestPushPromise(connection, push.stream(), push.method(), push.uri(), push.headers());
+    HttpClientRequestPushPromise pushReq = new HttpClientRequestPushPromise(connection,
+      push.stream(),
+      push.authority(),
+      push.method(),
+      push.uri(),
+      push.headers());
     if (pushHandler != null) {
       pushHandler.handle(pushReq);
     } else {
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestImpl.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestImpl.java
index 42a9795caf9..8fddd226ffa 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestImpl.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestImpl.java
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ public class HttpClientRequestImpl extends HttpClientRequestBase implements Http
   private boolean isConnect;
   private String traceOperation;
 
-  public HttpClientRequestImpl(HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream) {
-    super(connection, stream, stream.context().promise(), HttpMethod.GET, "/");
+  public HttpClientRequestImpl(HostAndPort authority, HttpConnection connection, HttpClientStream stream) {
+    super(authority, connection, stream, stream.context().promise(), HttpMethod.GET, "/");
     this.chunked = false;
     this.endPromise = context.promise();
     this.endFuture = endPromise.future();
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestPushPromise.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestPushPromise.java
index 16a27c41e4e..e19046751b7 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestPushPromise.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/HttpClientRequestPushPromise.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import io.vertx.core.Promise;
 import io.vertx.core.buffer.Buffer;
 import io.vertx.core.http.*;
+import io.vertx.core.net.HostAndPort;
 
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
@@ -32,10 +33,11 @@ class HttpClientRequestPushPromise extends HttpClientRequestBase {
   public HttpClientRequestPushPromise(
     HttpConnection connection,
     HttpClientStream stream,
+    HostAndPort authority,
     HttpMethod method,
     String uri,
     MultiMap headers) {
-    super(connection, stream, stream.connection().context().promise(), method, uri);
+    super(authority, connection, stream, stream.connection().context().promise(), method, uri);
     this.stream = stream;
     this.headers = headers;
   }
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/UnpooledHttpClientConnection.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/UnpooledHttpClientConnection.java
index 3cd61aa54f2..ca81d1142e3 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/UnpooledHttpClientConnection.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/http/impl/UnpooledHttpClientConnection.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import io.vertx.core.http.*;
 import io.vertx.core.internal.ContextInternal;
 import io.vertx.core.internal.PromiseInternal;
+import io.vertx.core.net.HostAndPort;
 import io.vertx.core.net.SocketAddress;
 
 import javax.net.ssl.SSLSession;
@@ -231,8 +232,16 @@ public Future<HttpClientRequest> request(ContextInternal context, RequestOptions
         future = actual.createStream(context);
       }
     }
+    String host = options.getHost();
+    Integer port = options.getPort();
+    HostAndPort authority;
+    if (host != null && port != null) {
+      authority = HostAndPort.authority(host, port);
+    } else {
+      authority = actual.authority();
+    }
     return future.map(stream -> {
-      HttpClientRequestImpl request = new HttpClientRequestImpl(this, stream);
+      HttpClientRequestImpl request = new HttpClientRequestImpl(authority, this, stream);
       stream.closeHandler(this::checkPending);
       if (options != null) {
         request.init(options);
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/http/HttpTest.java b/vertx-core/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/http/HttpTest.java
index 9d64540d49e..a2aca76201a 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/http/HttpTest.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/http/HttpTest.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 import io.vertx.tests.http.http3.Http3Test;
 import org.assertj.core.api.AbstractThrowableAssert;
 import org.junit.Assert;
+import org.junit.Assume;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import java.io.*;
@@ -3771,6 +3772,7 @@ class MockReq implements HttpClientRequest {
       public HttpClientRequest setChunked(boolean chunked) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); }
       public boolean isChunked() { return false; }
       public HttpClientRequest authority(HostAndPort authority) { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); }
+      public HostAndPort authority() { throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); }
       public HttpMethod getMethod() { return method; }
       public String absoluteURI() { return baseURI; }
       public HttpVersion version() { return HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1; }
@@ -6124,4 +6126,40 @@ public void testResolverKeepAlive() throws Exception {
     assertTrue(delta >= 500);
     assertTrue(delta <= 1000);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testNoAuthority() throws Exception {
+    Assume.assumeTrue(testAddress.isInetSocket());
+    assertEquals(testAddress.toString(), testNoAuthority(false).toString());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testForceNoAuthority() throws Exception {
+    Assume.assumeTrue(testAddress.isInetSocket() && config.version() != HttpVersion.HTTP_3);
+    assertEquals("null", testNoAuthority(true).toString());
+  }
+
+  public Buffer testNoAuthority(boolean force) throws Exception {
+    server.requestHandler(request -> {
+      request
+        .response()
+        .end("" + request.authority());
+    });
+
+    startServer(testAddress);
+
+    return client
+      .request(new RequestOptions().setServer(testAddress))
+      .compose(request -> {
+        assertEquals(testAddress.toString(), request.authority().toString());
+        if (force) {
+          request.authority(null);
+        }
+        return request
+          .send()
+          .expecting(HttpResponseExpectation.SC_OK)
+          .compose(HttpClientResponse::body);
+      })
+      .await();
+  }
 }