diff --git a/stdlib/opendb.go b/stdlib/opendb.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb3703ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/opendb.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// +build go1.10
+
+package stdlib
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"database/sql"
+	"database/sql/driver"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx"
+)
+
+// OptionOpenDB options for configuring the driver when opening a new db pool.
+type OptionOpenDB func(*connector)
+
+// OptionAfterConnect provide a callback for after connect.
+func OptionAfterConnect(ac func(*pgx.Conn) error) OptionOpenDB {
+	return func(dc *connector) {
+		dc.AfterConnect = ac
+	}
+}
+
+func OpenDB(config pgx.ConnConfig, opts ...OptionOpenDB) *sql.DB {
+	c := connector{
+		ConnConfig:   config,
+		AfterConnect: func(*pgx.Conn) error { return nil }, // noop after connect by default
+		driver:       pgxDriver,
+	}
+
+	for _, opt := range opts {
+		opt(&c)
+	}
+
+	return sql.OpenDB(c)
+}
+
+type connector struct {
+	pgx.ConnConfig
+	AfterConnect func(*pgx.Conn) error // function to call on every new connection
+	driver       *Driver
+}
+
+// Connect implement driver.Connector interface
+func (c connector) Connect(ctx context.Context) (driver.Conn, error) {
+	var (
+		err  error
+		conn *pgx.Conn
+	)
+
+	if conn, err = pgx.Connect(c.ConnConfig); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err = c.AfterConnect(conn); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &Conn{conn: conn, driver: c.driver, connConfig: c.ConnConfig}, nil
+}
+
+// Driver implement driver.Connector interface
+func (c connector) Driver() driver.Driver {
+	return c.driver
+}
diff --git a/stdlib/sql.go b/stdlib/sql.go
index d4a0f565..3ec58552 100644
--- a/stdlib/sql.go
+++ b/stdlib/sql.go
@@ -132,8 +132,11 @@ type Driver struct {
 }
 
 func (d *Driver) Open(name string) (driver.Conn, error) {
-	var connConfig pgx.ConnConfig
-	var afterConnect func(*pgx.Conn) error
+	var (
+		connConfig   pgx.ConnConfig
+		afterConnect func(*pgx.Conn) error
+	)
+
 	if len(name) >= 9 && name[0] == 0 {
 		idBuf := []byte(name)[1:9]
 		id := int64(binary.BigEndian.Uint64(idBuf))
diff --git a/stdlib/sql_test.go b/stdlib/sql_test.go
index a60cf165..a3a96ffd 100644
--- a/stdlib/sql_test.go
+++ b/stdlib/sql_test.go
@@ -17,15 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/stdlib"
 )
 
-func openDB(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
-	db, err := sql.Open("pgx", "postgres://pgx_md5:secret@127.0.0.1:5432/pgx_test")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("sql.Open failed: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	return db
-}
-
 func closeDB(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB) {
 	err := db.Close()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -82,6 +73,14 @@ func closeStmt(t *testing.T, stmt *sql.Stmt) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSQLOpen(t *testing.T) {
+	db, err := sql.Open("pgx", "postgres://pgx_md5:secret@127.0.0.1:5432/pgx_test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("sql.Open failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	closeDB(t, db)
+}
+
 func TestNormalLifeCycle(t *testing.T) {
 	db := openDB(t)
 	defer closeDB(t, db)
diff --git a/stdlib/stdlibutil110_test.go b/stdlib/stdlibutil110_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c83b645b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/stdlibutil110_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// +build go1.10
+
+package stdlib_test
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/stdlib"
+)
+
+func openDB(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
+	config, err := pgx.ParseConnectionString("postgres://pgx_md5:secret@127.0.0.1:5432/pgx_test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pgx.ParseConnectionString failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return stdlib.OpenDB(config)
+}
diff --git a/stdlib/stdlibutil_test.go b/stdlib/stdlibutil_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31ea391c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/stdlibutil_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// +build !go1.10
+
+package stdlib_test
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// this file contains utility functions for tests that differ between versions.
+func openDB(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
+	db, err := sql.Open("pgx", "postgres://pgx_md5:secret@127.0.0.1:5432/pgx_test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("sql.Open failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return db
+}