diff --git a/include/MySQL_Session.h b/include/MySQL_Session.h
index 021629c83..1dfcc48d9 100644
--- a/include/MySQL_Session.h
+++ b/include/MySQL_Session.h
@@ -79,7 +79,18 @@ class MySQL_Session
 
 	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_FIELD_LIST(PtrSize_t *);
 	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_INIT_DB(PtrSize_t *);
-	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(PtrSize_t *);
+	/**
+	 * @brief Handles 'COM_QUERIES' holding 'USE DB' statements.
+	 *
+	 * @param pkt The packet being processed.
+	 * @param query_digest The query digest returned by the 'QueryProcessor'
+	 *   holding the 'USE' statement without the initial comment.
+	 *
+	 * @details NOTE: This function used to be called from 'handler_special_queries'.
+	 *   But since it was change for handling 'USE' statements which are preceded by
+	 *   comments, it's called after 'QueryProcessor' has processed the query.
+	 */
+	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(PtrSize_t *pkt, const char* query_digest);
 	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_PING(PtrSize_t *);
 
 	void handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_CHANGE_USER(PtrSize_t *, bool *);
diff --git a/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp b/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
index d8d9594c8..887d53437 100644
--- a/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
+++ b/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
@@ -1135,12 +1135,6 @@ bool MySQL_Session::handler_special_queries(PtrSize_t *pkt) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (session_type != PROXYSQL_SESSION_CLICKHOUSE) {
-		if (pkt->size>(5+4) && strncasecmp((char *)"USE ",(char *)pkt->ptr+5,4)==0) {
-			handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(pkt);
-			return true;
-		}
-	}
 	if (pkt->size==SELECT_VERSION_COMMENT_LEN+5 && strncmp((char *)SELECT_VERSION_COMMENT,(char *)pkt->ptr+5,pkt->size-5)==0) {
 		// FIXME: this doesn't return AUTOCOMMIT or IN_TRANS
 		PtrSize_t pkt_2;
@@ -3593,6 +3587,23 @@ __get_pkts_from_client:
 										clock_gettime(CLOCK_THREAD_CPUTIME_ID,&begint);
 									}
 									qpo=GloQPro->process_mysql_query(this,pkt.ptr,pkt.size,&CurrentQuery);
+									// This block was moved from 'handler_special_queries' to support
+									// handling of 'USE' statements which are preceded by a comment.
+									// For more context check issue: #3493.
+									// ===================================================
+									if (session_type != PROXYSQL_SESSION_CLICKHOUSE) {
+										if (strncasecmp((char *)"USE ",CurrentQuery.get_digest_text(),4)==0) {
+											handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(&pkt, CurrentQuery.get_digest_text());
+
+											if (mirror == false) {
+												break;
+											} else {
+												handler_ret = -1;
+												return handler_ret;
+											}
+										}
+									}
+									// ===================================================
 									if (qpo->max_lag_ms >= 0) {
 										thread->status_variables.stvar[st_var_queries_with_max_lag_ms]++;
 									}
@@ -5219,12 +5230,12 @@ void MySQL_Session::handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_C
 
 // this function was introduced due to isseu #718
 // some application (like the one written in Perl) do not use COM_INIT_DB , but COM_QUERY with USE dbname
-void MySQL_Session::handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(PtrSize_t *pkt) {
+void MySQL_Session::handler___status_WAITING_CLIENT_DATA___STATE_SLEEP___MYSQL_COM_QUERY_USE_DB(PtrSize_t *pkt, const char* query_digest) {
 	gtid_hid=-1;
 	proxy_debug(PROXY_DEBUG_MYSQL_COM, 5, "Got COM_QUERY with USE dbname\n");
 	if (session_type == PROXYSQL_SESSION_MYSQL) {
 		__sync_fetch_and_add(&MyHGM->status.frontend_use_db, 1);
-		char *schemaname=strndup((char *)pkt->ptr+sizeof(mysql_hdr)+5,pkt->size-sizeof(mysql_hdr)-5);
+		char *schemaname=strndup(query_digest+4,strlen(query_digest)-4);
 		char *schemanameptr=trim_spaces_and_quotes_in_place(schemaname);
 		// handle cases like "USE `schemaname`
 		if(schemanameptr[0]=='`' && schemanameptr[strlen(schemanameptr)-1]=='`') {