diff --git a/core/includes/database.inc b/core/includes/database.inc
index ae9533c7dc7..04132b81e78 100644
--- a/core/includes/database.inc
+++ b/core/includes/database.inc
@@ -464,6 +464,7 @@ function db_close(array $options = []) {
  * @see https://www.drupal.org/node/2993033
  */
 function _db_get_target(array &$options, $allow_replica = TRUE) {
+  @trigger_error('_db_get_target() is deprecated in drupal:8.8.0. Will be removed before drupal:9.0.0. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2993033', E_USER_DEPRECATED);
   if (empty($options['target']) || ($options['target'] === 'replica' && !$allow_replica)) {
     $options['target'] = 'default';
   }
diff --git a/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/DatabaseLegacyTest.php b/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/DatabaseLegacyTest.php
index f9b7f02256b..9fa3fc02246 100644
--- a/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/DatabaseLegacyTest.php
+++ b/core/tests/Drupal/KernelTests/Core/Database/DatabaseLegacyTest.php
@@ -530,4 +530,17 @@ class DatabaseLegacyTest extends DatabaseTestBase {
     $this->assertTrue($session->has('ignore_replica_server'));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Tests the _db_get_target() function.
+   *
+   * @expectedDeprecation _db_get_target() is deprecated in drupal:8.8.0. Will be removed before drupal:9.0.0. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2993033
+   */
+  public function testDbGetTarget() {
+    $op1 = $op2 = ['target' => 'replica'];
+    $this->assertEquals('replica', _db_get_target($op1));
+    $this->assertEquals('default', _db_get_target($op2, FALSE));
+    $this->assertEmpty($op1);
+    $this->assertEmpty($op2);
+  }
+
 }