diff --git a/stdlib/sql.go b/stdlib/sql.go
index 7e635324..e70780c1 100644
--- a/stdlib/sql.go
+++ b/stdlib/sql.go
@@ -13,6 +13,54 @@
 //	if err != nil {
 //		return err
 //	}
+//
+// A DriverConfig can be used to further configure the connection process. This
+// allows configuring TLS configuration, setting a custom dialer, logging, and
+// setting an AfterConnect hook.
+//
+//	driverConfig := stdlib.DriverConfig{
+// 		ConnConfig: ConnConfig: pgx.ConnConfig{
+//			Logger:   logger,
+//		},
+//		AfterConnect: func(c *pgx.Conn) error {
+//			// Ensure all connections have this temp table available
+//			_, err := c.Exec("create temporary table foo(...)")
+//			return err
+//		},
+//	}
+//
+//	stdlib.RegisterDriverConfig(&driverConfig)
+//
+//	db, err := sql.Open("pgx", driverConfig.ConnectionString("postgres://pgx_md5:secret@127.0.0.1:5432/pgx_test"))
+//	if err != nil {
+//		return err
+//	}
+//
+// AcquireConn and ReleaseConn acquire and release a *pgx.Conn from the standard
+// database/sql.DB connection pool. This allows operations that must be
+// performed on a single connection, but should not be run in a transaction or
+// to use pgx specific functionality.
+//
+//	conn, err := stdlib.AcquireConn(db)
+//	if err != nil {
+//		return err
+//	}
+//	defer stdlib.ReleaseConn(db, conn)
+//
+//	// do stuff with pgx.Conn
+//
+// It also can be used to enable a fast path for pgx while preserving
+// compatibility with other drivers and database.
+//
+//	conn, err := stdlib.AcquireConn(db)
+//	if err == nil {
+//		// fast path with pgx
+//		// ...
+//		// release conn when done
+//		stdlib.ReleaseConn(db, conn)
+//	} else {
+//		// normal path for other drivers and databases
+//	}
 package stdlib
 
 import (
@@ -20,6 +68,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"database/sql/driver"
 	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
@@ -34,9 +83,16 @@ var databaseSqlOids map[pgtype.Oid]bool
 
 var pgxDriver *Driver
 
+type ctxKey int
+
+var ctxKeyFakeTx ctxKey = 0
+
+var ErrNotPgx = errors.New("not pgx *sql.DB")
+
 func init() {
 	pgxDriver = &Driver{
-		configs: make(map[int64]*DriverConfig),
+		configs:     make(map[int64]*DriverConfig),
+		fakeTxConns: make(map[*pgx.Conn]*sql.Tx),
 	}
 	sql.Register("pgx", pgxDriver)
 
@@ -60,6 +116,9 @@ type Driver struct {
 	configMutex sync.Mutex
 	configCount int64
 	configs     map[int64]*DriverConfig
+
+	fakeTxMutex sync.Mutex
+	fakeTxConns map[*pgx.Conn]*sql.Tx
 }
 
 func (d *Driver) Open(name string) (driver.Conn, error) {
@@ -91,7 +150,7 @@ func (d *Driver) Open(name string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	c := &Conn{conn: conn}
+	c := &Conn{conn: conn, driver: d}
 	return c, nil
 }
 
@@ -145,6 +204,7 @@ func UnregisterDriverConfig(c *DriverConfig) {
 type Conn struct {
 	conn    *pgx.Conn
 	psCount int64 // Counter used for creating unique prepared statement names
+	driver  *Driver
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) Prepare(query string) (driver.Stmt, error) {
@@ -178,6 +238,11 @@ func (c *Conn) BeginTx(ctx context.Context, opts driver.TxOptions) (driver.Tx, e
 		return nil, driver.ErrBadConn
 	}
 
+	if pconn, ok := ctx.Value(ctxKeyFakeTx).(**pgx.Conn); ok {
+		*pconn = c.conn
+		return fakeTx{}, nil
+	}
+
 	var pgxOpts pgx.TxOptions
 	switch sql.IsolationLevel(opts.Isolation) {
 	case sql.LevelDefault:
@@ -407,3 +472,47 @@ func namedValueToInterface(argsV []driver.NamedValue) []interface{} {
 	}
 	return args
 }
+
+type fakeTx struct{}
+
+func (fakeTx) Commit() error { return nil }
+
+func (fakeTx) Rollback() error { return nil }
+
+func AcquireConn(db *sql.DB) (*pgx.Conn, error) {
+	driver, ok := db.Driver().(*Driver)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, ErrNotPgx
+	}
+
+	var conn *pgx.Conn
+	ctx := context.WithValue(context.Background(), ctxKeyFakeTx, &conn)
+	tx, err := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	driver.fakeTxMutex.Lock()
+	driver.fakeTxConns[conn] = tx
+	driver.fakeTxMutex.Unlock()
+
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
+func ReleaseConn(db *sql.DB, conn *pgx.Conn) error {
+	var tx *sql.Tx
+	var ok bool
+
+	driver := db.Driver().(*Driver)
+	driver.fakeTxMutex.Lock()
+	tx, ok = driver.fakeTxConns[conn]
+	if ok {
+		delete(driver.fakeTxConns, conn)
+		driver.fakeTxMutex.Unlock()
+	} else {
+		driver.fakeTxMutex.Unlock()
+		return fmt.Errorf("can't release conn that is not acquired")
+	}
+
+	return tx.Rollback()
+}
diff --git a/stdlib/sql_test.go b/stdlib/sql_test.go
index fdc93c0a..e9fcd27b 100644
--- a/stdlib/sql_test.go
+++ b/stdlib/sql_test.go
@@ -685,3 +685,42 @@ func TestConnBeginTxReadOnly(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ensureConnValid(t, db)
 }
+
+func TestAcquireConn(t *testing.T) {
+	db := openDB(t)
+	defer closeDB(t, db)
+
+	var conns []*pgx.Conn
+
+	for i := 1; i < 6; i++ {
+		conn, err := stdlib.AcquireConn(db)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d. AcquireConn failed: %v", i, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		var n int32
+		err = conn.QueryRow("select 1").Scan(&n)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d. QueryRow failed: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		if n != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("%d. n => %d, want %d", i, n, 1)
+		}
+
+		stats := db.Stats()
+		if stats.OpenConnections != i {
+			t.Errorf("%d. stats.OpenConnections => %d, want %d", i, stats.OpenConnections, i)
+		}
+
+		conns = append(conns, conn)
+	}
+
+	for i, conn := range conns {
+		if err := stdlib.ReleaseConn(db, conn); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d. stdlib.ReleaseConn failed: %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	ensureConnValid(t, db)
+}