diff --git a/python/rmm/_cuda/stream.pyx b/python/rmm/_cuda/stream.pyx
index 0f6c5ab19..541524124 100644
--- a/python/rmm/_cuda/stream.pyx
+++ b/python/rmm/_cuda/stream.pyx
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+import os
+
 from libc.stdint cimport uintptr_t
 from libcpp cimport bool
 
@@ -117,7 +119,10 @@ cdef class Stream:
         self._cuda_stream, self._owner = stream._cuda_stream, stream._owner
 
 
-DEFAULT_STREAM = Stream._from_cudaStream_t(cuda_stream_default.value())
+if int(os.environ.get("RMM_PER_THREAD_DEFAULT_STREAM", "0")) != 0:
+    DEFAULT_STREAM = Stream._from_cudaStream_t(cuda_stream_per_thread.value())
+else:
+    DEFAULT_STREAM = Stream._from_cudaStream_t(cuda_stream_default.value())
 LEGACY_DEFAULT_STREAM = Stream._from_cudaStream_t(cuda_stream_legacy.value())
 PER_THREAD_DEFAULT_STREAM = Stream._from_cudaStream_t(
     cuda_stream_per_thread.value()