diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 8d32976b2b..1c081a51ae 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -126,7 +126,12 @@ func CheckRedirect(req *http.Request, via []*http.Request) error {
 //		client.WithAPIVersionNegotiation(),
 //	)
 func NewClientWithOpts(ops ...Opt) (*Client, error) {
-	client, err := defaultHTTPClient(DefaultDockerHost)
+	hostURL, err := ParseHostURL(DefaultDockerHost)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	client, err := defaultHTTPClient(hostURL)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -134,8 +139,8 @@ func NewClientWithOpts(ops ...Opt) (*Client, error) {
 		host:    DefaultDockerHost,
 		version: api.DefaultVersion,
 		client:  client,
-		proto:   defaultProto,
-		addr:    defaultAddr,
+		proto:   hostURL.Scheme,
+		addr:    hostURL.Host,
 	}
 
 	for _, op := range ops {
@@ -161,13 +166,12 @@ func NewClientWithOpts(ops ...Opt) (*Client, error) {
 	return c, nil
 }
 
-func defaultHTTPClient(host string) (*http.Client, error) {
-	hostURL, err := ParseHostURL(host)
+func defaultHTTPClient(hostURL *url.URL) (*http.Client, error) {
+	transport := &http.Transport{}
+	err := sockets.ConfigureTransport(transport, hostURL.Scheme, hostURL.Host)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	transport := &http.Transport{}
-	_ = sockets.ConfigureTransport(transport, hostURL.Scheme, hostURL.Host)
 	return &http.Client{
 		Transport:     transport,
 		CheckRedirect: CheckRedirect,
diff --git a/client/client_test.go b/client/client_test.go
index bb31ff069e..44586075d1 100644
--- a/client/client_test.go
+++ b/client/client_test.go
@@ -165,6 +165,14 @@ func TestParseHostURL(t *testing.T) {
 			host:     "tcp://localhost:2476/path",
 			expected: &url.URL{Scheme: "tcp", Host: "localhost:2476", Path: "/path"},
 		},
+		{
+			host:     "unix:///var/run/docker.sock",
+			expected: &url.URL{Scheme: "unix", Host: "/var/run/docker.sock"},
+		},
+		{
+			host:     "npipe:////./pipe/docker_engine",
+			expected: &url.URL{Scheme: "npipe", Host: "//./pipe/docker_engine"},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, testcase := range testcases {
diff --git a/client/client_unix.go b/client/client_unix.go
index 685149a68c..319b738d3e 100644
--- a/client/client_unix.go
+++ b/client/client_unix.go
@@ -6,6 +6,3 @@ package client // import "github.com/docker/docker/client"
 // DefaultDockerHost defines OS-specific default host if the DOCKER_HOST
 // (EnvOverrideHost) environment variable is unset or empty.
 const DefaultDockerHost = "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"
-
-const defaultProto = "unix"
-const defaultAddr = "/var/run/docker.sock"
diff --git a/client/client_windows.go b/client/client_windows.go
index 5abe60457d..56572d1a27 100644
--- a/client/client_windows.go
+++ b/client/client_windows.go
@@ -3,6 +3,3 @@ package client // import "github.com/docker/docker/client"
 // DefaultDockerHost defines OS-specific default host if the DOCKER_HOST
 // (EnvOverrideHost) environment variable is unset or empty.
 const DefaultDockerHost = "npipe:////./pipe/docker_engine"
-
-const defaultProto = "npipe"
-const defaultAddr = "//./pipe/docker_engine"
diff --git a/client/options_test.go b/client/options_test.go
index 51900cef26..7153e24c70 100644
--- a/client/options_test.go
+++ b/client/options_test.go
@@ -1,31 +1,39 @@
 package client
 
 import (
+	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
+	is "gotest.tools/v3/assert/cmp"
 )
 
 func TestOptionWithHostFromEnv(t *testing.T) {
 	c, err := NewClientWithOpts(WithHostFromEnv())
 	assert.NilError(t, err)
 	assert.Check(t, c.client != nil)
-	assert.Equal(t, c.host, DefaultDockerHost)
-	assert.Equal(t, c.proto, defaultProto)
-	assert.Equal(t, c.addr, defaultAddr)
-	assert.Equal(t, c.basePath, "")
+	assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.basePath, ""))
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.host, "npipe:////./pipe/docker_engine"))
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.proto, "npipe"))
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.addr, "//./pipe/docker_engine"))
+	} else {
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.host, "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"))
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.proto, "unix"))
+		assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.addr, "/var/run/docker.sock"))
+	}
 
 	t.Setenv("DOCKER_HOST", "tcp://foo.example.com:2376/test/")
 
 	c, err = NewClientWithOpts(WithHostFromEnv())
 	assert.NilError(t, err)
 	assert.Check(t, c.client != nil)
-	assert.Equal(t, c.host, "tcp://foo.example.com:2376/test/")
-	assert.Equal(t, c.proto, "tcp")
-	assert.Equal(t, c.addr, "foo.example.com:2376")
-	assert.Equal(t, c.basePath, "/test/")
+	assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.basePath, "/test/"))
+	assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.host, "tcp://foo.example.com:2376/test/"))
+	assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.proto, "tcp"))
+	assert.Check(t, is.Equal(c.addr, "foo.example.com:2376"))
 }
 
 func TestOptionWithTimeout(t *testing.T) {