diff --git a/engine_group.go b/engine_group.go
index 223eb985..4d346231 100644
--- a/engine_group.go
+++ b/engine_group.go
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 package xorm
 
 import (
-	"strings"
-
 	"github.com/go-xorm/core"
 )
 
@@ -27,9 +25,8 @@ func NewEngineGroup(args1 interface{}, args2 interface{}, policies ...GroupPolic
 	}
 
 	driverName, ok1 := args1.(string)
-	dataSourceNames, ok2 := args2.(string)
+	conns, ok2 := args2.([]string)
 	if ok1 && ok2 {
-		conns := strings.Split(dataSourceNames, ";")
 		engines := make([]*Engine, len(conns))
 		for i, conn := range conns {
 			engine, err := NewEngine(driverName, conn)
diff --git a/xorm_test.go b/xorm_test.go
index c201b8c9..569bc681 100644
--- a/xorm_test.go
+++ b/xorm_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ var (
 	mapType    = flag.String("map_type", "snake", "indicate the name mapping")
 	cache      = flag.Bool("cache", false, "if enable cache")
 	cluster    = flag.Bool("cluster", false, "if this is a cluster")
+	splitter   = flag.String("splitter", ";", "the splitter on connstr for cluster")
 )
 
 func createEngine(dbType, connStr string) error {
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ func createEngine(dbType, connStr string) error {
 			testEngine, err = NewEngine(dbType, connStr)
 
 		} else {
-			testEngine, err = NewEngineGroup(dbType, connStr)
+			testEngine, err = NewEngineGroup(dbType, strings.Split(connStr, *splitter))
 		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return err