diff --git a/bench_test.go b/bench_test.go
index 75da9016..80d332e5 100644
--- a/bench_test.go
+++ b/bench_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ var int8TextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded bool
 var float4TextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded bool
 var float8TextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded bool
 var boolTextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded bool
+var timestampTzTextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded bool
 
 func createNarrowTestData(b *testing.B, conn *pgx.Connection) {
 	if narrowTestDataLoaded {
@@ -544,3 +545,60 @@ func BenchmarkBoolBinary(b *testing.B) {
 		mustSelectRows(b, conn, "selectBool")
 	}
 }
+
+func createTimestampTzTextVsBinaryTestData(b *testing.B, conn *pgx.Connection) {
+	if timestampTzTextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded {
+		return
+	}
+
+	mustExecute(b, conn, `
+		drop table if exists t;
+
+		create temporary table t(
+			a timestamptz not null,
+			b timestamptz not null,
+			c timestamptz not null,
+			d timestamptz not null,
+			e timestamptz not null
+		);
+
+		insert into t(a, b, c, d, e)
+		select
+			now() - '10 years'::interval * random(),
+			now() - '10 years'::interval * random(),
+			now() - '10 years'::interval * random(),
+		  now() - '10 years'::interval * random(),
+		  now() - '10 years'::interval * random()
+		from generate_series(1, 10);
+	`)
+
+	timestampTzTextVsBinaryTestDataLoaded = true
+}
+
+func BenchmarkTimestampTzText(b *testing.B) {
+	conn := getSharedConnection()
+	createTimestampTzTextVsBinaryTestData(b, conn)
+
+	encoders := removeBinaryEncoders()
+	defer func() { restoreBinaryEncoders(encoders) }()
+
+	mustPrepare(b, conn, "selectTimestampTz", "select * from t")
+	defer func() { conn.Deallocate("selectTimestampTz") }()
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		mustSelectRows(b, conn, "selectTimestampTz")
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkTimestampTzBinary(b *testing.B) {
+	conn := getSharedConnection()
+	createTimestampTzTextVsBinaryTestData(b, conn)
+	mustPrepare(b, conn, "selectTimestampTz", "select * from t")
+	defer func() { conn.Deallocate("selectTimestampTz") }()
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		mustSelectRows(b, conn, "selectTimestampTz")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/value_transcoder.go b/value_transcoder.go
index bf17e737..40419356 100644
--- a/value_transcoder.go
+++ b/value_transcoder.go
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ func init() {
 
 	// timestamptz
 	ValueTranscoders[Oid(1184)] = &ValueTranscoder{
-		DecodeText: decodeTimestampTzFromText,
-		EncodeTo:   encodeTimestampTz}
+		DecodeText:   decodeTimestampTzFromText,
+		DecodeBinary: decodeTimestampTzFromBinary,
+		EncodeTo:     encodeTimestampTz}
 
 	// use text transcoder for anything we don't understand
 	defaultTranscoder = ValueTranscoders[Oid(25)]
@@ -299,6 +300,20 @@ func decodeTimestampTzFromText(mr *MessageReader, size int32) interface{} {
 	return t
 }
 
+func decodeTimestampTzFromBinary(mr *MessageReader, size int32) interface{} {
+	if size != 8 {
+		panic("Received an invalid size for an int8")
+	}
+	microsecFromUnixEpochToY2K := int64(946684800 * 1000000)
+	microsecSinceY2K := mr.ReadInt64()
+	microsecSinceUnixEpoch := microsecFromUnixEpochToY2K + microsecSinceY2K
+	return time.Unix(microsecSinceUnixEpoch/1000000, (microsecSinceUnixEpoch%1000000)*1000)
+
+	// 2000-01-01 00:00:00 in 946684800
+	// 946684800 * 1000000
+
+}
+
 func encodeTimestampTz(w *MessageWriter, value interface{}) {
 	t := value.(time.Time)
 	s := t.Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05.999999 -0700")