diff --git a/nats/aio/client.py b/nats/aio/client.py
index ff924fe8..cb80d9c2 100644
--- a/nats/aio/client.py
+++ b/nats/aio/client.py
@@ -1270,50 +1270,59 @@ async def _flush_pending(
         except asyncio.CancelledError:
             pass
 
-    def _setup_server_pool(self, connect_url: Union[List[str]]) -> None:
-        if isinstance(connect_url, str):
-            try:
-                if "nats://" in connect_url or "tls://" in connect_url:
-                    # Closer to how the Go client handles this.
-                    # e.g. nats://localhost:4222
-                    uri = urlparse(connect_url)
-                elif "ws://" in connect_url or "wss://" in connect_url:
-                    uri = urlparse(connect_url)
-                elif ":" in connect_url:
-                    # Expand the scheme for the user
-                    # e.g. localhost:4222
-                    uri = urlparse(f"nats://{connect_url}")
-                else:
-                    # Just use the endpoint with the default NATS port.
-                    # e.g. demo.nats.io
-                    uri = urlparse(f"nats://{connect_url}:4222")
-
-                # In case only endpoint with scheme was set.
-                # e.g. nats://demo.nats.io or localhost:
-                # the ws and wss do not need a default port as the transport will assume 80 and 443, respectively
-                if uri.port is None and uri.scheme not in ("ws", "wss"):
-                    uri = urlparse(f"nats://{uri.hostname}:4222")
-            except ValueError:
-                raise errors.Error("nats: invalid connect url option")
+    def _normalize_url(self, url: str):
+        """
+        Normalizes and validates a connection URL to ensure compatibility.
+        Adds default schemes and ports if missing, and checks for a valid hostname.
+        """
+        try:
+            if "nats://" in url or "tls://" in url:
+                # Closer to how the Go client handles this.
+                # e.g. nats://localhost:4222
+                uri = urlparse(url)
+            elif "ws://" in url or "wss://" in url:
+                uri = urlparse(url)
+            elif ":" in url:
+                # Expand the scheme for the user
+                # e.g. localhost:4222
+                uri = urlparse(f"nats://{url}")
+            else:
+                # Just use the endpoint with the default NATS port.
+                # e.g. demo.nats.io
+                uri = urlparse(f"nats://{url}:4222")
+
+            # In case only endpoint with scheme was set.
+            # e.g. nats://demo.nats.io or localhost:
+            # the ws and wss do not need a default port as the transport will assume 80 and 443, respectively
+            if uri.port is None and uri.scheme not in ("ws", "wss"):
+                # Set default NATS port 4222 if no port is specified
+                uri = urlparse(f"nats://{uri.hostname}:4222")
 
             if uri.hostname is None or uri.hostname == "none":
+                # Validates the hostname
                 raise errors.Error("nats: invalid hostname in connect url")
+
+            return uri
+        except ValueError:
+            raise errors.Error("nats: invalid connect url option")
+
+    def _setup_server_pool(self, connect_url: Union[List[str]]) -> None:
+
+        if isinstance(connect_url, str) and "," in connect_url:
+            connect_url = connect_url.strip().split(",")
+
+        if isinstance(connect_url, str):
+            uri = self._normalize_url(connect_url)
             self._server_pool.append(Srv(uri))
+
         elif isinstance(connect_url, list):
-            try:
-                for server in connect_url:
-                    uri = urlparse(server)
-                    self._server_pool.append(Srv(uri))
-            except ValueError:
-                raise errors.Error("nats: invalid connect url option")
-            # make sure protocols aren't mixed
-            if not (all(server.uri.scheme in ("nats", "tls")
-                        for server in self._server_pool)
-                    or all(server.uri.scheme in ("ws", "wss")
-                           for server in self._server_pool)):
-                raise errors.Error(
-                    "nats: mixing of websocket and non websocket URLs is not allowed"
-                )
+            for url in connect_url:
+                uri = self._normalize_url(url)
+                self._server_pool.append(Srv(uri))
+
+            if not (all(server.uri.scheme in ("nats", "tls") for server in self._server_pool)
+                    or all(server.uri.scheme in ("ws", "wss") for server in self._server_pool)):
+                raise errors.Error("nats: mixing of websocket and non-websocket URLs is not allowed")
         else:
             raise errors.Error("nats: invalid connect url option")
 
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 905effb8..02a632a6 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -88,6 +88,31 @@ def test_connect_syntax_sugar(self):
         ])
         self.assertEqual(3, len(nc._server_pool))
 
+        nc._setup_server_pool([
+            "nats://127.0.0.1", "nats://127.0.0.1",
+            "nats://127.0.0.1"
+        ])
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(nc._server_pool))
+
+        nc._setup_server_pool([
+            "127.0.0.1", "127.0.0.1",
+            "127.0.0.1"
+        ])
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(nc._server_pool))
+        self.assertEqual(4222, nc._server_pool[0].uri.port)
+
+        nc._setup_server_pool(
+            "127.0.0.1, 127.0.0.1, 127.0.0.1"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(nc._server_pool))
+        self.assertEqual(4222, nc._server_pool[0].uri.port)
+
+        nc._setup_server_pool([
+            "nats://127.0.0.1:4222", "nats://127.0.0.1:4223",
+            "nats://127.0.0.1:4224"
+        ])
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(nc._server_pool))
+
         nc = NATS()
         nc._setup_server_pool("nats://127.0.0.1:4222")
         self.assertEqual(1, len(nc._server_pool))