diff --git a/langchain/vectorstores/weaviate.py b/langchain/vectorstores/weaviate.py
index dd5e79ca..0ad33b1a 100644
--- a/langchain/vectorstores/weaviate.py
+++ b/langchain/vectorstores/weaviate.py
@@ -25,6 +25,35 @@ def _default_schema(index_name: str) -> Dict:
     }
 
 
+def _create_weaviate_client(**kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+    client = kwargs.get("client")
+
+    if client is not None:
+        return client
+
+    weaviate_url = get_from_dict_or_env(kwargs, "weaviate_url", "WEAVIATE_URL")
+    weaviate_api_key = get_from_dict_or_env(
+        kwargs, "weaviate_api_key", "WEAVIATE_API_KEY", None
+    )
+
+    try:
+        import weaviate
+    except ImportError:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Could not import weaviate python  package. "
+            "Please install it with `pip instal weaviate-client`"
+        )
+
+    auth = (
+        weaviate.auth.AuthApiKey(api_key=weaviate_api_key)
+        if weaviate_api_key is not None
+        else None
+    )
+    client = weaviate.Client(weaviate_url, auth_client_secret=auth)
+
+    return client
+
+
 class Weaviate(VectorStore):
     """Wrapper around Weaviate vector database.
 
@@ -248,18 +277,11 @@ class Weaviate(VectorStore):
                     weaviate_url="http://localhost:8080"
                 )
         """
-        weaviate_url = get_from_dict_or_env(kwargs, "weaviate_url", "WEAVIATE_URL")
 
-        try:
-            from weaviate import Client
-            from weaviate.util import get_valid_uuid
-        except ImportError:
-            raise ValueError(
-                "Could not import weaviate python  package. "
-                "Please install it with `pip instal weaviate-client`"
-            )
+        client = _create_weaviate_client(**kwargs)
+
+        from weaviate.util import get_valid_uuid
 
-        client = Client(weaviate_url)
         index_name = kwargs.get("index_name", f"LangChain_{uuid4().hex}")
         embeddings = embedding.embed_documents(texts) if embedding else None
         text_key = "text"