diff --git a/google/cloud/storage/client.py b/google/cloud/storage/client.py
index 42358ef68..51fc8ec73 100644
--- a/google/cloud/storage/client.py
+++ b/google/cloud/storage/client.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import datetime
 import functools
 import json
+import os
 import warnings
 import google.api_core.client_options
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 from google.cloud.exceptions import NotFound
 from google.cloud.storage._helpers import _get_storage_host
 from google.cloud.storage._helpers import _bucket_bound_hostname_url
+from google.cloud.storage._helpers import STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR
 from google.cloud.storage._http import Connection
 from google.cloud.storage._signing import (
     get_expiration_seconds_v4,
@@ -119,6 +121,16 @@ def __init__(
         if project is _marker:
             project = None
 
+        if os.getenv(STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR) is not None:
+            credentials = AnonymousCredentials()
+            if project in [_marker, None]:
+                project = os.getenv("GCLOUD_PROJECT")
+                if project is None:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        "To use the GCS emulator, pass 'project' as an argument "
+                        "or set GCLOUD_PROJECT environment variable"
+                    )
+
         super(Client, self).__init__(
             project=project,
             credentials=credentials,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_client.py b/tests/unit/test_client.py
index ee0e387dd..da9d1ddae 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_client.py
@@ -219,6 +219,53 @@ def test_ctor_w_client_info(self):
         self.assertEqual(list(client._batch_stack), [])
         self.assertIs(client._connection._client_info, client_info)
 
+    def test_ctor_w_emulator_w_env_var_glcoud_project(self):
+        from google.auth.credentials import AnonymousCredentials
+        from google.cloud.storage._helpers import STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR
+
+        HOST = "https://api.example.com"
+        PROJECT = "test"
+        environ = {
+            STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR: HOST,
+            "GCLOUD_PROJECT": PROJECT,
+        }
+
+        with mock.patch("os.environ", environ):
+            client = self._make_one()
+
+        self.assertEqual(client.project, PROJECT)
+        self.assertEqual(client._connection.API_BASE_URL, HOST)
+        self.assertIsInstance(client._credentials, AnonymousCredentials)
+
+    def test_ctor_w_emulator_w_project_argument(self):
+        from google.auth.credentials import AnonymousCredentials
+        from google.cloud.storage._helpers import STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR
+
+        HOST = "https://api.example.com"
+        PROJECT = "test"
+        ENVIRON_PROJECT = "environ-project"
+        environ = {
+            STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR: HOST,
+            "GCLOUD_PROJECT": ENVIRON_PROJECT,
+        }
+
+        with mock.patch("os.environ", environ):
+            client = self._make_one(project=PROJECT)
+
+        self.assertEqual(client.project, PROJECT)
+        self.assertEqual(client._connection.API_BASE_URL, HOST)
+        self.assertIsInstance(client._credentials, AnonymousCredentials)
+
+    def test_ctor_w_emulator_missing_project(self):
+        from google.cloud.storage._helpers import STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR
+
+        HOST = "https://api.example.com"
+        environ = {STORAGE_EMULATOR_ENV_VAR: HOST}
+
+        with mock.patch("os.environ", environ):
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                self._make_one()
+
     def test_create_anonymous_client(self):
         from google.auth.credentials import AnonymousCredentials
         from google.cloud.storage._http import Connection