diff --git a/mongoengine/connection.py b/mongoengine/connection.py
index 34ff4dc3..ef815343 100644
--- a/mongoengine/connection.py
+++ b/mongoengine/connection.py
@@ -103,6 +103,17 @@ def register_connection(alias, name=None, host=None, port=None,
                 conn_settings['authentication_source'] = uri_options['authsource']
             if 'authmechanism' in uri_options:
                 conn_settings['authentication_mechanism'] = uri_options['authmechanism']
+            if 'readpreference' in uri_options:
+                read_preferences = (ReadPreference.NEAREST,
+                                    ReadPreference.PRIMARY,
+                                    ReadPreference.PRIMARY_PREFERRED,
+                                    ReadPreference.SECONDARY,
+                                    ReadPreference.SECONDARY_PREFERRED)
+                read_pf_mode = uri_options['readpreference']
+                for preference in read_preferences:
+                    if preference.mode == read_pf_mode:
+                        conn_settings['read_preference'] = preference
+                        break
         else:
             resolved_hosts.append(entity)
     conn_settings['host'] = resolved_hosts
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index cdcf1377..f0c272e4 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -364,6 +364,11 @@ class ConnectionTest(unittest.TestCase):
         date_doc = DateDoc.objects.first()
         self.assertEqual(d, date_doc.the_date)
 
+    def test_read_preference_from_parse(self):
+        from pymongo import ReadPreference
+        conn = connect(host="mongodb://a1.vpc,a2.vpc,a3.vpc/prod?readPreference=secondaryPreferred")
+        self.assertEqual(conn.read_preference, ReadPreference.SECONDARY_PREFERRED)
+
     def test_multiple_connection_settings(self):
         connect('mongoenginetest', alias='t1', host="localhost")