diff --git a/python/datafusion/__init__.py b/python/datafusion/__init__.py
index d871fdb71..a8c9f8b23 100644
--- a/python/datafusion/__init__.py
+++ b/python/datafusion/__init__.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 from .record_batch import RecordBatch, RecordBatchStream
 from .udf import Accumulator, AggregateUDF, ScalarUDF, WindowUDF, udaf, udf, udwf
 
+ctx = SessionContext()
+
 __version__ = importlib_metadata.version(__name__)
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@
     "col",
     "column",
     "common",
+    "ctx",
     "expr",
     "functions",
     "lit",
diff --git a/python/tests/test_context.py b/python/tests/test_context.py
index 4a15ac9cf..fc04e88ac 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_context.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_context.py
@@ -36,6 +36,19 @@ def test_create_context_no_args():
     SessionContext()
 
 
+def test_default_ctx_instance():
+    """Test that the default ctx instance works correctly"""
+    from datafusion import SessionContext, ctx
+
+    # Test that ctx is an instance of SessionContext
+    assert isinstance(ctx, SessionContext)
+
+    # Test basic functionality
+    df = ctx.sql("SELECT 1 as num")
+    result = df.collect()
+    assert len(result) == 1
+
+
 def test_create_context_session_config_only():
     SessionContext(config=SessionConfig())