diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
index 873af8cc14a..3effab65a83 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         dbname = settings_dict.get('NAME')
         user = settings_dict.get('USER')
         passwd = settings_dict.get('PASSWORD')
+        passfile = options.get('passfile')
         service = options.get('service')
         sslmode = options.get('sslmode')
         sslrootcert = options.get('sslrootcert')
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
             env['PGSSLCERT'] = str(sslcert)
         if sslkey:
             env['PGSSLKEY'] = str(sslkey)
+        if passfile:
+            env['PGPASSFILE'] = str(passfile)
         return args, env
 
     def runshell(self, parameters):
diff --git a/docs/ref/databases.txt b/docs/ref/databases.txt
index 67d6d21eb69..9f9df2fcd39 100644
--- a/docs/ref/databases.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/databases.txt
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ PostgreSQL connection settings
 
 See :setting:`HOST` for details.
 
-To connect using a service name from the `connection service file`_, you must
-specify it in the :setting:`OPTIONS` part of your database configuration in
-:setting:`DATABASES`:
+To connect using a service name from the `connection service file`_ and a
+password from the `password file`_, you must specify them in the
+:setting:`OPTIONS` part of your database configuration in :setting:`DATABASES`:
 
 .. code-block:: python
     :caption: settings.py
@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ specify it in the :setting:`OPTIONS` part of your database configuration in
     DATABASES = {
         'default': {
             'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
-            'OPTIONS': {'service': 'my_service'},
+            'OPTIONS': {
+                'service': 'my_service',
+                'passfile': '.my_pgpass',
+            },
         }
     }
 
@@ -136,14 +139,20 @@ specify it in the :setting:`OPTIONS` part of your database configuration in
     host=localhost
     user=USER
     dbname=NAME
-    password=PASSWORD
     port=5432
 
+.. code-block:: text
+    :caption: .my_pgpass
+
+    localhost:5432:NAME:USER:PASSWORD
+
 .. _connection service file: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-pgservice.html
+.. _password file: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-pgpass.html
 
 .. versionchanged:: 4.0
 
-    Support for connecting by a service name was added.
+    Support for connecting by a service name, and specifying a password file
+    was added.
 
 Optimizing PostgreSQL's configuration
 -------------------------------------
diff --git a/docs/releases/4.0.txt b/docs/releases/4.0.txt
index 50afdb56f25..7ea518cbc95 100644
--- a/docs/releases/4.0.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/4.0.txt
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ Management Commands
 * The :djadmin:`runserver` management command now supports the
   :option:`--skip-checks` option.
 
+* On PostgreSQL, :djadmin:`dbshell` now supports specifying a password file.
+
 Migrations
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/tests/dbshell/test_postgresql.py b/tests/dbshell/test_postgresql.py
index 3345035a241..a96acac6f12 100644
--- a/tests/dbshell/test_postgresql.py
+++ b/tests/dbshell/test_postgresql.py
@@ -73,6 +73,34 @@ class PostgreSqlDbshellCommandTestCase(SimpleTestCase):
             (['psql'], {'PGSERVICE': 'django_test'}),
         )
 
+    def test_passfile(self):
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.settings_to_cmd_args_env({
+                'NAME': 'dbname',
+                'USER': 'someuser',
+                'HOST': 'somehost',
+                'PORT': '444',
+                'OPTIONS': {
+                    'passfile': '~/.custompgpass',
+                },
+            }),
+            (
+                ['psql', '-U', 'someuser', '-h', 'somehost', '-p', '444', 'dbname'],
+                {'PGPASSFILE': '~/.custompgpass'},
+            ),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.settings_to_cmd_args_env({
+                'OPTIONS': {
+                    'service': 'django_test',
+                    'passfile': '~/.custompgpass',
+                },
+            }),
+            (
+                ['psql'], {'PGSERVICE': 'django_test', 'PGPASSFILE': '~/.custompgpass'},
+            ),
+        )
+
     def test_column(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.settings_to_cmd_args_env({