diff --git a/src/pendulum/parser.py b/src/pendulum/parser.py
index e79002b2..833bae3c 100644
--- a/src/pendulum/parser.py
+++ b/src/pendulum/parser.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def _parse(
     """
     # Handling special cases
     if text == "now":
-        return pendulum.now()
+        return pendulum.now(tz=options.get("tz", UTC))
 
     parsed = base_parse(text, **options)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_parsing.py b/tests/test_parsing.py
index f01653a7..34673c40 100644
--- a/tests/test_parsing.py
+++ b/tests/test_parsing.py
@@ -128,8 +128,13 @@ def test_parse_interval() -> None:
 
 
 def test_parse_now() -> None:
-    dt = pendulum.parse("now")
+    assert pendulum.parse("now").timezone_name == "UTC"
+    assert (
+        pendulum.parse("now", tz="America/Los_Angeles").timezone_name
+        == "America/Los_Angeles"
+    )
 
+    dt = pendulum.parse("now", tz="local")
     assert dt.timezone_name == "America/Toronto"
 
     mock_now = pendulum.yesterday()